The Pain of Remembrance
by halfdemonfan
Summary: It was amazing how one memory could change a person's perspective. Canon to volume 404/ IchiHime/
1. Chapter 1

**This story is canon up to volume 404 of the manga or episode 300. This is a different take on how things could have ended with Aizen. **

**It will mainly be a romance story following Ichigo and Orihime (my absolute favorite pairing in any manga!). Let me know what you think of the story. I will be finishing my other work in progress, **_**A Continuing Threat**_**, before I really get into updating this one. **

**I hope you enjoy this first part of **_**The Pain of Remberance**_**.**

**Disclaimer for all chapters of this story:**** I do not own Bleach nor any of its characters. This story, however, is my own work.**

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Ichigo watched, stunned, as the attack his father, Urahara, and Yoruichi had dealt to Aizen was easily deflected and they were thrown away. Since fusing with the hogyoku, Aizen had become so powerful Ichigo didn't know if they were going to be able to defeat him. It was just as Gin had said, he was scared. He was scared of the power he felt coming from Aizen. Gin had taunted Ichigo mercilessly, urging him to flee and accept the destruction of the town. Ichigo couldn't even find his voice to tell him to back off.

Watching the three former shinigami struggle to get back up only reinforced his helpless feeling. He couldn't even move from his spot and he had no idea where Gin had went to. He told Ichigo he wasn't interested in fighting a weakling and shunpoed away leaving Ichigo to watch the battle with a sort of detached fascination. Yoruichi struck at Aizen again but he countered and threw her into a nearby building. Urahara fired a kido spell at Aizen and rushed over to her side. As she fell Urahara caught her and transported the both of them over to where Ichigo stood. Isshin soon joined them and they watched as the blast from the spell disappeared. Aizen walked out of it now with a white mask covering his face completely. The hogyoku was clearly visible in his chest.

"You're attempts to reach me are pathetic. I am far above your meager levels of resistance. You can't even touch me anymore. Urahara Kisuke, I have mastered the hogyoku which you created and now it bends to my will. I wonder if I should just kill you all now or let you watch as I destroy Karakura town and create the King's Key." Aizen taunted as he hovered above them. "Well, ants are crushed everyday under the feet of those greater than them."

He fired a large burst of energy at them. Ichigo saw Urahara raise Benihime in an attempt to shield them from the impact. His eyes closed on instinct and he was surprised to not have felt anything from the blast. He didn't think Urahara's blood mist shield would have been able to withstand the impact of Aizen's power. He opened his eyes to find himself and the others safe behind a golden barrier.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

He whipped his head around to find the owner of that familiar voice. She was running up behind them, her bright auburn hair flying behind her. The white outfit forced upon her in Hueco Mundo still gracing her figure. The top of it was still torn around the shoulders and chest from the beating she had suffered at the hands of the two female arrancar.

"Inoue? What are you doing here?"

As soon as she got to them she called out her Soten Kisshun to heal the four of them. She left her barrier up in front of them in case of another attack but as she looked for Aizen, she saw him standing with his back to them farther away than before. "Kurotsuchi-san was able to open the garganta again and brought us here. When we arrived, Byakuya-san said he couldn't feel Aizen's reiatsu so he opened a senkaimon to Soul Society and Kenpachi-san went with him to search for him. I was helping Unohana-san treat everyone's wounds when I felt your reiatsu. No one is in danger of dying so she told me I could leave to find you."

"Inoue, do you not know how dangerous it is? You shouldn't be here!" Ichigo yelled at her.

She lowered her head at his anger but she wouldn't be sent away, not when they were all wounded. "I'm sorry Kurosaki-kun but I was so worried. I hadn't finished healing you before you left. When Ishida-kun and I got to the others and you had already gone I got so scared. I knew you would still look for Aizen even with only half of your reiatsu."

Ichigo immediately felt horrible for yelling at the gentle woman but this was no place for her right now. With Aizen's level of power he didn't know if he would be able to protect her if he attacked again.

"Wow Orihime-chan. All of my wounds are already closed. Your faster at healing than anyone I've ever seen!" Isshin said.

"Oh! Kurosaki-san." She turned her surprised face to him. She had been so focused on getting to Ichigo that she had only spared his companions a glance. His father had not actually registered in her mind until he had spoken. "You're...a..." she lowered her eyes to take in his shinigami garb. Her brows puckered in confusion for only a moment more before an understanding light shone in her eyes. "Well that makes sense."

Isshin smiled at the gentle woman and let out a small chuckle. "You can roll with the punches well can't you?"

"Like I say women handle things better than men." Yoruichi said.

"Thank you for your assistance Inoue-san. I believe we are all okay now." Urahara said and she called back her powers. The small group stood behind the barrier looking at Aizen.

"What are we gonna do?" Orihime asked. Even to her own ears her voice sounded thick with fear.

"I honestly don't know." Urahara said quietly. "He's fused himself with the hogyoku now. Everything we throw at him is useless."

Orihime turned to look at the former shinigami. His face showed the great tension everyone was feeling. This was so unlike him that it frightened her. Urahara and Yoruichi always had some answer, some plan to follow, that to see them watching Aizen start to walk away with such hopelessness in their eyes brought her face to face with the reality that they may actually lose this fight. But to lose this war would mean...

She turned to look at Ichigo. She could only watch his face for a moment before she had to turn away. Seeing him share the same look as Urahara made her want to weep and this was not the time for it. If she gave into her tears right then she would break and she wouldn't be able to pull herself together for a long time. For the moment, she took all her problems, all of the horrible things that happened in Hueco Mundo, placed them in a box and shoved them far back into her mind. They could be dealt with later.

If there was a later.

This just couldn't be happening. How had things gotten this way? What could they do?

Aizen was powerful before he left Soul Society but he wasn't unstoppable. She was sure that if he didn't have the hogyoku Urahara, Yoruichi, or Ichigo could deal with him. She hadn't seen his father fight but his reiatsu was very powerful and she was sure that was a captain's haori on his shoulder, so he would probably be able to hold his own against Aizen as well. The problem was the hogyoku. Since it was fused with Aizen there was no taking it away from him...right?

Maybe there was a way.

She knew her power was nowhere near the level of the four people standing beside her but what power she did pocess was completely different from what they had. What had Aizen called it?

The power of rejection.

He was right in that aspect. When she 'healed' people all the injuries they possessed, including the injuries made to their clothing, was removed. It was as if nothing had happened. Aizen wasn't injured but if she turned her Soten Kisshun on him...

_"Guys, is this possible?" _she asked her powers within her mind.

_"It is Orihime-san. But I have to warn you, this would be the most dangerous and powerful thing you've ever done. If you aren't sure you can do it, if you aren't absolutely determined to do it, I would tell you to not even attempt it." _Shun'o said.

Ayame continued. _"Sorry Orihime-san, we don't want to sound rude or disrespectful but concentrate and feel his reiatsu. It's plain to see that the power of the hogyoku has allowed his own powerful reiatsu to bend it and control it as he wants to. Since it has finally been released it would probably try to fight your own power to reject it." _

_"I can feel it and you're right. But guys, if I don't do this everyone in Karakura is going to die! More than that, if he succeeds in making the King's Key every living thing and every soul would be in danger!" _Orihime exclaimed.

_"Listen woman we know. It's your decision but know this, you will more than likely die in the process." _

Orihime didn't say anything to Tsubaki's revelation. Not surprisingly, it was an easy decision for her to make. When she left the living world with Ulquiorra, she had already accepted her death. She said her goodbyes, even though she wished she could have seen everyone face to face, and walked into that garganta knowing she would never see any of them again. When Ichigo and the others came to rescue her she didn't know what to feel. Her heart had been confused because she had left for them. She had willingly given up everything because she wanted them to be safe. Yet, she was also happy. Knowing they had cared enough to come for her, risk death for her, touched her very soul.

She was so lonely when her brother died. She had no other friends and people tended to bully her. Tatsuki was the first real friend she ever made. After receiving her powers, she became close friends with Ichigo, Sado, and Ishida. The past year had been the happiest one she'd had in four years. If she allowed all of her friends to die because she was afraid of death then she would be the lowest form of coward there was. And all those innocent people...how could she face them in the after life if she didn't do absolutely everything she could.

Her brother raised her to be a loving, kind person and she wasn't about to let him down now. She only wished she could have seen Tatsuki one last time. A single tear made it's way down her cheek as she though of her best friend.

_"You're going to do this then?" _Shun'o asked.

_"Yes. I'm sorry everyone, I realize this will be the end for you as well. I'm truly sorry about that."_

_"Tch, don't be woman. To go down in battle is every warrior's wish." _Tsubaki said.

_"Thank you. Thank you so much everyone. Hinagiku, Baigon, Lily, we will have to change the shield a bit. If I don't keep Kurosaki-kun back he's going to try and stop me."_

_"We can do that Orihime-sama. Whatever you want we can do. Everything depends on the conviction in your soul and right now, I feel like we can do anything." _Lily said.

She took a few deep breaths to get herself ready. She had to do this. Everything, literally everything, depended on her rejecting the hogyoku from Aizen's body. Even if she couldn't reject the object completely, if she could remove it from his body than Urahara could seal it again. There really was no reason to think about the things she would never do because she had already been through that. The twelve hours Ulquiorra gave her were spent reminiscing and lamenting her loss.

Well, there was one thing she could do.

She didn't do it before. She had told herself it wasn't right and had given in to her sadness at the last moment. But...this would be it for her. Couldn't she have a single moment of selfishness? She was going to give up her life for everyone else. Even death row inmates got a last request didn't they? Besides, if she didn't have the courage for this how could she stand face to face with Aizen?

She turned to face him and called his name softly. Her face must have betrayed some of her emotions because he looked at her with such confused eyes. Beautiful, golden brown eyes that she would never see again. She walked right up to him, grasped his face softly between her hands, and kissed his lips.

She thought she heard someone behind him gasp but she shut everything out except for the feel of his warm lips on hers. She was surprised he didn't pull away but she figured she must have shocked him badly. She had felt him stiffen the moment her lips touched his but at least he didn't pull away. She kept the kiss chaste and when she pulled back she looked into his impossibly wide eyes and told him directly this time.

"I love you Ichigo."

His eyes widened even further but before he could do anything she quickly stepped back and ordered her santen kesshun to cover them. The normal triangular shield expanded and formed a dome similar to her soten kisshun over the four shinigami. The dome covered them completely, all the way to the ground, and she was satisfied with the results. She turned her back on them so she didn't have to look at the wild expressions they all wore.

"Inoue-san what is this?" Urahara asked

"Orihime-chan, what are you doing?" she heard Kurosaki-san ask.

She didn't answer them. Shun'o and Ayame came to her left side while Tsubaki sat on her right shoulder.

"He's making his move woman. You'd better hurry." Tsubaki told her.

She looked out and saw Aizen opening a senkaimon. He was headed for Soul Society.

"Tsubaki-kun, destroy that please." She knew she no longer needed to recite her chants to activate her powers. She could feel her connection with them and it was stronger than ever. Unbeknownst to her, a soft golden glow covered her entire body. She watched as Tsubaki streaked through the sky and just as Aizen was about to step into the portal, Tsubaki flew through it, destroying the gateway. Aizen turned to look at her and she knew she would have only moments before he approached.

"Inoue what the fuck are you doing? Get out of here now!" She could hear Ichigo banging on her shield.

She kept her eyes on Aizen but spoke over her shoulder to the people behind her. "Urahara-san, if I am not able to destroy the hogyoku when I remove it from Aizen's body please destroy it quickly or at least seal it."

"I...I...understand." he replied. His brain was slowly coming to grips with what was happening. He wanted to stop her. He want to rush out of the barrier she had set up and pull her away from this mess; but he could feel the power radiating from her shield and he knew that even with his most powerful kido spell or attack from his benihime, he wouldn't be able to bring it down. That knowledge was only reinforced by the fact that Ichigo was banging at the shield with all his might but it did not even shake under his assualt. He had told her to stay out of this war because he was afraid for her. She wasn't a fighter and he was worried she would be hurt by her inability to kill someone. He had also feared Aizen would want her powers. Unfortunately, he had been right about that. She had been taken and it was partially his fault. He had his suspicions but he did nothing to help keep her safe. Now she was going to sacrifice herself to save them all. Three powerful former captains were standing under the protective shield of a human girl and they could do nothing.

"I won't be able to kill him so I need you all to be ready to fight him when it's over."

"Inoue, I swear to the kami if you don't lower this shield right fucking now I'll start slashing at it with Zangetsu and if I take off someones limb so be it."

Even though his voice was so angry she couldn't help but smile at his words. He would never purposefully endanger his friends and she knew it. He was beyond mad at her but she also knew it was born out of fear. He might not have a full grasp on her intentions but he could see she was walking into the proverbial lion's den and he wanted her safe and away from there. His concern touched her heart as it always did.

Aizen was slowly walking towards her and she knew she needed to move away form the shield but she had one last thing she needed to say. This time, she couldn't keep the tears out of her voice.

"Would you please tell Tatsuki-chan that I...that I loved her so very much. In my heart she was my sister." with that said she began walking to meet Aizen.

"Inoue! Inoue! Orihime come back here!" Ichigo screamed praying that maybe if he used her given name he could get some kind of reply from her. Just what the fuck did she think she was doing? Did she really think he was going to just let her walk off to face down Aizen? Obviously not; that's why she put up her shield. But when had it gotten so strong? No matter how much he beat it, pushed at it, stabbed it...it never wavered. Regardless of the fact that beating it wasn't working he continued to do so. He had to get to her. She was walking to her death!

His pounding on the barrier stopped as his heart and mind stuck on that statement and came to a horrible realization. She **knew **she was walking to her death. She was doing so willingly. That's why she put up the barrier to stop them. That's why she had...

She kissed him. _She loves me? _That was hard information to process. It couldn't be true. There was no way she could be in love with him...right? But her eyes, when she said it her eyes were so sincere. Her touch had been so gentle and though the kiss was chaste he felt like she had poured her very soul into it. He couldn't say anything or do anything when she had kissed him. It caught him so completely off guard. He never knew...never had any idea that she felt that way about him. Plus, he had nothing to say to her in return. He cared about her, a lot, but he had never even given a thought to love. Not just with her, but with anybody.

He shook his head to ignore all of that because none of it mattered when she was outside of the barrier walking towards that monster.

_-Orihime-_

Orihime kept her head held high as she walked towards Aizen. She stopped when she was just a few feet from him. She could vaguely feel his reiatsu and that scared her more than anything. Normally if she couldn't feel someones reiatsu, especially being so close to them, it was because they were either dying or close to running out of power; but neither of those was the case for Aizen. He was only getting stronger and the fact that she had to concentrate just to feel his reiatsu the little bit that she could, was most certainly not a good thing.

_"Don't falter now woman. Remember what is riding on this. If we're going to go down let it be done fighting and not cowering in fear." _Tsubaki's voice rang inside her mind.

She smiled at the strength in his voice; he was right. Everything depended on her ability to remove the hogyoku and she knew how evil Aizen was. If she showed even a speck of fear he would use that to bring her down. He had been playing mind games with her from the moment she met Ulquiorra in the senkaimon and she knew it. She wouldn't be stopped, she wouldn't allow her heart to waiver. Aizen was so keen to put on a fake face and confuse everyone, perhaps she should do so as well. She allowed her smile to grow in size and she waved to him.

"Hello Aizen." the white mask he wore kept her from seeing his reaction but his head tilted ever so slightly to her greeting.

"Inoue Orihime, just what do you hope to accomplish here?" his voice maintained the same neutrality he had always spoken to her with.

"What do you mean Aizen?" she forced herself to speak calmly and keep her head high. She watched him closely.

"You should leave Orihime. You aren't like those fools behind you. You know your power is insignificant to my own and you don't rush blindly into battle. I will still have use for you when the King's Key is made so go back to Hueco Mundo and await my return."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Aizen. I can't allow you to destroy Karakura town. It's my home. The people I love are there and I will do anything to keep them safe." As she spoke Shun'o and Ayame rushed away from her and covered Aizen in their golden light. He made no move to stop them, he had not moved at all since stopping to face her. Orihime had thought he might not. Right now he saw himself as a god and a god would not be afraid of the powers of a human girl.

She heard him chuckle behind the mask. "Orihime, I admire the astounding courage you have shown to come face me alone...but, this little charade is over." He lifted his hand to touch her golden shield, probably thinking to simply brush it aside and continue on his way. Even though his face was hidden, there was no hiding the utter surprise he felt when the barrier sent an electric shock to his hand forcing it back.

"I told you Aizen, I can't allow you to destroy Karakura town." no smile graced her face now. Her voice was filled with determination and the glow encasing her body grew even brighter.

"And just what do you think you are going to do woman?" Aizen's voice now held a tone of anger to it.

"Something only I can do." Orihime released her reiatsu and focused it's power to her dome. She could already feel the massive power of the hogyoku trying to push her away. She clenched her teeth and concentrated harder. Aizen said nothing for a moment, he simply studied her, trying to decipher what she was doing. She didn't try to destroy the orb right away; instead, she focused on separating it's power from Aizen's. She knew the moment he felt the first tug at his bond with the hogyoku. His shoulders stiffened, his head snapped up, and his reiatsu began to rise.

"You little bitch." He began pushing at the barrier again, each time his hand continued to be pushed away by the rejecting power the golden dome possessed. She was already beginning to pant from the exertion of pushing her reiatsu against two such powerful forces but she didn't stop.

_"That's it Orihime-san, it's working!" _

She heard Shun'o exclaim. It was slight, but she could already see the cracks beginning in the white mask Aizen wore. Shun'o and Ayame moved closer to Aizen, warping the barrier until it was pressed close to his body. His arms were now pinned down to his side and he could do nothing in retaliation but spew obscenities at her. She ignored the filth that flew out of his mouth and smiled slightly as the white mask cracked and shattered revealing his angry features for everyone to see.

She heard the shouted words of encouragement from behind her but she didn't turn to acknowledge them. She never paused in her task, only pushed herself harder to end this.

_-Ichigo-_

"Sweet Kami she's doing it." were the only words heard whispered by Yoruichi as the group under the barrier watched in utter disbelief at the scene in front of them. Isshin had placed his hands on his son's shoulders to try and help him calm his anger after Orihime had begun speaking to Aizen. Just as Urahara did, he realized he wouldn't be able to break her shield. They were helpless to do anything but watch as she confronted the evil man. Ichigo had stopped screaming and smashing at the barrier but the tension never left his shoulders.

When the group saw the cracks forming in Aizen's mask their fear turned into shock. They couldn't believe she was doing it. Aizen, the man who had eluded Soul Society for nearly a year, the man who had defeated countless shinigami including the captain commander himself, was having his power stripped from him by a human girl. When the mask shattered and Aizen's face came into full view Isshin let out a loud laugh.

"Give it to him Orihime-chan!" he screamed to the girl. He threw his arm over his son's stunned shoulders and watched her with a huge smile on his face. They would have to fight Aizen soon but she was making it possible for them to win this war. Absolute fear for his daughters lives had been gnawing at his gut but now the feeling was replaced by the hope this beautiful woman had given them.

Ichigo could only watch the scene with his mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe his eyes. Was this powerful woman in front of him the same gentle creature he had rushed into hell to save? He had never seen Orihime show such a display of power and determination before. She was actually pulling the hogyoku from his body. Without that power to aide him, Ichigo was confident he could win against Aizen. He felt Zangetsu's power flowing into him and he found comfort in it.

_-Orihime-_

Orihime felt the sweat pouring down her temples. She was getting so tired but she refused to give in to her body's desire to rest. She had known this would be harder than anything she'd ever done before but she failed to realize just what it would entail. Pouring her reiatsu out at a constant high rate was wearing her body down. Her muscles ached, her breathing was short and choppy, as if she'd been running for hours, and her head was pounding. She ignored it all though. All she concentrated on was tearing the hogyoku's hold from Aizen's reiatsu. Whatever the orb was made of seemed to have a conscious desire of its own and now that it had been awakened, it had no intentions of being subdued again. She was winning the battle though. Aizen's reiatsu was returning rapidly to the great crushing force she had felt when he was still in Soul Society. She could now easily distinguish between his and the hogyoku's power.

Aizen was no longer shouting obscenities at her. Instead, a malevolent grin now split his face as he watched her struggle. "I underestimated your power. You've done well Orihime, I will acknowledge that. Perhaps I should have let Szayel do a few experiments on you but that is neither here nor there. Regardless of your magnificent display of power here...you're time is up. You've reached the level of what is possible for a human. Your fragile body simply can't take anymore of this level of power. When you fall from exhaustion I will fully merge with the hogyoku again." her wide eyes met his and he chuckled darkly. "Oh don't worry, I won't kill you. I'm going to keep you around. When I've completed my task I plan to spend some time exploring every little thing about your powers."

As much as she didn't want to believe his words she knew they were true. She could feel it within her own body. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't focus her powers enough to cut the last few threads of power that tied the hogyoku to Aizen.

_Think Orihime, think! You can't stop here! Everyone's lives depend on you!_

Tears of frustration burned her eyes. She didn't know what to do. She was so close and to wind up like this...

"Orihime-san." Shun'o called to her. "There is a way."

"What Shun'o-kun? Tell me what I can do!" she pleaded.

Her power turned his face to her and she was surprised at the sorrow in his eyes. "We need a more powerful connection with the hogyoku. If we can get that than we can tear it from Aizen's body."

She walked closer to Aizen. A more powerful connection with the orb? Would just grabbing it work? The only way to know was to do it but as she got closer she began to feel a pain over her body like she was being pierced with thousands of needles. She grimaced and turned her head to Shun'o in confusion.

His sad eyes bored into hers. "I'm sorry Orihime-san, but this is the only way to completely remove it from his body. You're going to have to grab the hogyoku but...but..." his voice broke off on a sob.

"He's trying to tell you that your mortal body isn't going to be able to handle the power that thing puts out." Orihime looked to her shoulder where Tsubaki was answering for Shun'o. His voice was level but he wasn't looking at her. He only stared straight ahead at the brightly shining orb that was partially out of Aizen's chest. "It'll probably rip you to pieces, literally." he finally turned his eyes to her and she was so shocked to see them filled with tears. "It's gonna hurt like hell Orihime."

She kept her hands out in front of her, directing her power to the Soten Kisshun, so she simply lowered her head a placed a gentle kiss on the top of Tsubaki's head. For once the normally angry fairy didn't rebuke her affection. "Thank you Tsubaki-kun. Thank you for being my strength." she graced him with one last brilliant smile before turning her attention back to the orb. Ignoring the stabbing pain it brought, she walked right up to his body. As she brought her hand up to hover directly in front of it the pain intensified so sharply the tears began rolling down her face. Already she felt as if the muscles in her fingers and hand were pulling away from the bone. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before thrusting her hand out and closing around the hogyoku.

_-Ichigo-_

The sound of her almost inhuman cries of pain tore across the area bringing Ichigo to his knees. He watched in horror as Orihime threw her head back and screamed over and over again. Blood began to pour from her arm as her flesh literally melted away from the hand that clasped the hogyoku. Aizen's screams of outrage were drowned out by the cries of anguish from the healer. She held her hand tight around the hogyoku despite the torture it was bringing her and Ichigo could see she was pulling it from his body. His hands gripped the side of his head as he felt his hollow began pushing against the constraints of his soul. The internal struggle he fought only became harder as he heard Orihime empty the contents of her stomach violently before a cry of pain and despair tore from her throat.

_**"Change places with me Ichigo. You don't have the power to stop her cries but I do."**_

Ichigo clenched his eyes shut as he fought back his hollow. He couldn't lose control, not again. He struggled violently against his evil counterpart trying to get control.

_**"Come on Ichigo. You know I'm more powerful. When you couldn't do anything against that pathetic Espada I crushed him. Let me out. I'll rip Aizen's head off and stop that woman's screaming."**_

_"Back off! I don't need your help."_

His hollow's dark laugh sounded in his mind. _**"Yes you do. You're weak Ichigo. You can't do this alone."**_

The strong grip on his shoulder gave him strength to shut out his hollows cries and he turned to face his father who was kneeling next to him.

"Ichigo, get a grip on him son. It's almost time to face Aizen and you need to be in control. Get yourself together...for Orihime-chan." Isshin watched the black fade from his sons eyes and felt the dark layers of his reiatsu recceeding. Soon, his reiatsu was once again normal and a determined look came over his face.

Ichigo stood up beside his father and the four shinigami came together to watch Orihime once again.

_-Orihime-_

She could no longer scream. Her throat was nearly closed with the pain and swelling from her earlier cries. Now all she could do was let the tears pour unbidden down her face from the mind numbing pain. Tsubaki had warned her it would hurt, he told her it would rip her to pieces, but her innocent mind couldn't comprehend the full truth of his words.

Now, as she watched the flesh fall from her arms and her blood puddle at her feet, she felt as if she had aged a hundred years. There were no words to describe the pain she had suffered. She marveled in the fact that she had remained concious during the ordel. Even within the saftey of her mind she was broken. Coherent thought had long since left her and she was reduced to only the most basic of words.

_"hurts...stop...pain...please..."_

This was all her mind could do and her powers cringed with the pain she suffered. Shun'o and Ayame wept openly as they continued to focus the power coming from her soul into finishing what they began. Even in her near unconscious state, Orihime still poured her soul's power into them to break the bond between the orb and Aizen.

_-Ichigo-_

"Kurosaki Ichigo, it is nearly complete."

Ichigo looked down to the tiny power of Orihime's that spoke to him.

"When she pulls the hogyoku free she's going to collapse. Her power had been completely drained and she won't be able to do anything but pass out." Hinagiku explained.

"Aizen will be free of the Soten Kisshun and you know he's going to go for her. Be ready to stop him, please?" Lily implored.

"Let me out of this barrier already. Let me get to her." Ichigo said.

"We have to follow her orders. She wanted us to keep you in here until the hogyoku was freed from Aizen's body. The shield will fall the moment she does. That is all we can do. Please Ichigo-san, don't let him reach her." Lily said.

"Ichigo, you focus on Aizen. Let me tend to Orihime-chan." his father said.

Ichigo tightened his grip on Zangetsu and readied himself. His father would be the best one to go to Orihime. She needed a doctor now more than anything else. He wouldn't allow Aizen to even touch Orihime. He could feel his hollow in his mind but he wasn't trying to take control; he was melding with the dark, angry emotions coursing through Ichigo. That was fine with him. He would use whatever power available to him to make Aizen pay for every crime he had committed.

But for making Orihime bleed...he was going to enjoy doing it.

_-Orihime-_

After what seemed like an eternity of torture, Orihime felt the last thread of power within the hogyoku break and her body fell back. The orb was closed tightly in her fist.

Her eyes remained opened and even though her brain couldn't process the images properly she saw a blur of black streak in front of her and heard the clashing of metal. She felt someones hands gently probing her body and she could hear the words spoken but their meaning was lost on her at the moment.

"She's in shock. I've got to get her to the hospital. Kido alone isn't going to help her right now."

"Go ahead, Urahara and I will stay with Ichigo."

"It doesn't look like he's going to need the help though."

"Yeah, I've never actually seen him fight with the mask on. It's pretty damn frightening."

Orihime felt her eyes finally close and the sounds of the battle were dulled out by the rushing of blood in her ears.

"Shit, she's seizing. Yoruichi help me!"

"I don't know what to do!"

"Grab her feet, Kiskue open a senkaimon now!"

All the words became nothing more than incomprehensible sounds and everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm glad the first chapter of this story was so well received. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and alerted it. Here's another chapter for your review. I know it's shorter than the first but I promise to make it up to you.**

**Enjoy!**

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* * *

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Three days.

Three days since he had killed that bastard Aizen.

Three days since the cheers of victory were heard in both worlds.

Three days he had been sitting in the same hospital room staring at her unconscious face.

Ichigo flipped another page of the magazine he was holding. He wouldn't even lie and say he was reading it; he no longer even knew the name of the book in his hand. He couldn't take his mind off of the battle nor off the woman in front of him.

When Orihime's shield fell he rushed towards Aizen at speeds he didn't know he possessed. They fought furiously, neither man saying anything. Aizen forgoed his usual speeches designed to throw his opponents off guard and instead met every strike of Ichigo's sword with one of his own. He had been cheated out of his power and he wanted her blood to pay for it. Ichigo had fought many opponents before, human, hollow, and shinigami; but he could only recall one other time he had been so furious in battle.

His fight with Grand Fisher.

Just as he yearned to see Fisher's blood spill, he wanted Aizen's to flow like a waterfall. He concentrated on nothing but slicing the mans flesh from his bones. Ichigo wasn't sure whose morbid thoughts they were, his or his hollows; but he didn't try to stop them, nor did he question where they originated from. He simply accepted his sick need to kill Aizen in some of the most painful ways possible.

He allowed the battle to draw out. Ichigo recognized the fact that he could have killed Aizen at least two other times during their battle but he had not. His hollow cackled in the inner workings of his mind and he felt the dark creature's happiness from the lengthy battle. Ichigo knew he would reprimand himself later for giving in to the desires of his hollow. No...not just his hollow. He would at least admit to himself that on a much more primal level he also wanted to drag out the pleasure of killing Aizen.

He felt horrible for it.

He may not be an innocent man but he was far...very far from evil. Ichigo felt he had tainted a portion of his soul by giving in to the dark emotions he had. Every cut he landed on Aizen after the initial opportunity he had to kill him made him cringe inside now. He had briefly turned into the very monster he fought to keep back in the vizards underground training area. He allowed those thoughts to drift to the back of his mind as he opened a senkaimon to get to his father and Orihime. Words he had vaguely heard during his battle were coming back clearly to him. Perhaps they had been the catalyst to throw him into the murderous rage he experienced.

_"She's in shock..."_

_"She's seizing..."_

_"...open the senkaimon now!"_

Though he felt as if the kami may not listen to him at this point he prayed hard as he searched for her reiatsu. He finally located it at Ishida-san's hospital. Ignoring the shocked looks of the shinigami around him, he rushed past them trying to get to her room. Hands reached out to try and hold him back and he fought them desperately. Urahara, who he failed to recognize had been with him the entire time, finally rendered him unconscious with a kido spell when he continued to resist.

When he awoke, he found himself lying in a hospital bed, the familiar play of muscles telling him he had been placed back into his body. Rukia, Renji, and Sado sat in chairs along the wall but they ran to his bedside when they saw his eyes open.

"Ichigo, how are you feeling?" Rukia asked with concerned eyes.

He struggled to sit upright and Sado reached out to help him. He fought a wave of nausea as his head rolled in pain. "I've felt better."

A breath of air that could have been a chuckle came from Renji. "Baka. At least your alive. I can't believe you're in as good condition as you are...considering who your opponent was."

Ichigo paled as he remembered why he ran to the hospital in the first place. "Inoue!" he shouted and tried to get out of bed. Two pairs of strong arms held him in place. "Let me go guys! I have to see if she's okay!" he screamed to Sado and Renji.

"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed right in his face. He stopped his struggles at her stern tone. "Calm down. I'm sure your father would appreciate it if you didn't open the wounds he just closed a few hours ago. Inoue's alive, she's unconscious, but alive."

Ichigo closed his eyes and said a small prayer of thanks allowing his body to now relax. "I still want to see her."

Rukia's eyes softened. "Of course. Let me go find your father first and have him check you out since you just woke up, then we'll all go see her."

She returned with his father a few minutes later and for once his old man did not hit him in greeting. When Ichigo turned to meet his father's gaze as the door opened, he saw a smile grace the older man's face. He was sure he had imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw tears gather in his fathers eyes. The moment passed quickly as Isshin closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.

"Just woke up and you want to go tearing out of here already. I'm glad your friends decided to stay with you." he teased as he went over to his sons bed.

"I'm not leaving the hospital old man but I am going to Inoue's room." Isshin met his son's determined stare and sighed in defeat.

"I knew you would as soon as you woke up. Do me a favor and take it easy though. Not all of us have such amazing abilities as she does. You tear those stitches in your side open and you won't have the benefit of having them rejected away. I'll have to wind up sewing your scrawny ass back together again."

"Who you calling scrawny old man?" Ichigo said as he got to his feet and faced his father. The two men held their stare for a moment before Isshin put his hand behind his sons neck and brought their foreheads together. Ichigo watched his father close his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He felt the fingers curl into his neck and he could see the tension practically melt away from his dad. This surprised Ichigo more than anything. He had no idea his father had been that worried.

He had always been given so much freedom and his father may have pestered him about where he was, but when he didn't answer, they would only fight for the moment and the subject would drop. When his father showed up as a shinigami, Ichigo realized he had always known where he went, where his injuries came from, and he didn't so much as question him let alone warn him about the dangers he could face. To see his father show this much emotion over his well being humbled Ichigo. He raised his own hand to his fathers neck and clasped him just as tight. No words needed to be expressed between the two. No matter the problems they had or would face soon, they simply embraced the fact that they were both alive and well. Their slightly broken family was still intact.

The moment passed and Isshin, once again acting like his old self, led the group into the room Ichigo now sat in. She looked the same as she did when he opened the door that day. Eyes closed, long black lashes laying against her pale cheeks, lips parted slightly as she breathed deeply in her sleep.

No...that was the false deception she put out. It only looked like she was asleep. Any second he expected her to roll onto her side muttering something about aliens or the little blue men in her strange dreams; but that wasn't going to happen. His father explained to him she was in a coma.

Her arm was heavily bandaged and laying atop two pillows. Everything from her shoulder to the tips of her fingers was covered. He sat down heavily in the chair next to her bed and tried to listen as his father explained what they had done to save her. He could only catch pieces of the explanation as his brain was trying so hard to process the sight of her laying there looking broken. She had given so much to ensure the war was won, to make sure they were all safe. It just wasn't fair that she was laying in that bed and not him!

"Control your reiatsu or I will have you leave this room."

Ichigo turned his head sharply to glare at whoever had spoken, but was shocked to see Ishida's father in the doorway. He walked around the bed and checked some of the monitors connected to Orihime.

"She's completely exhausted her reiatsu not to mention the extensive injuries she suffered to her arm. Her body went into shock at the blood loss and she suffered a few seizures because of that. She's in a coma now but I expect her to pull out of it." Ichigo listened to the stoic doctor's explanation and was about to thank him when the man began speaking to his father instead. "That's how you should have dumbed it down for the boy. Amazing how much of an idiot both of our sons are."

"Just who do you think you are referring to when you say that Ryuken?" Ichigo whipped his head around to see Ishida standing in the corner. He missed seeing him when he entered the room.

"I should have said disrespectful as well. And you only prove my point by asking such a ridiculous question." Ryuken said without bothering to look at his son.

Ishida tensed slightly and fired back at his father. "If you weren't such..." his sentence trailed off and he averted his eyes hoping his statement would be left alone. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't.

"Weren't what Uryu?" His father asked, eyebrow raised in a silent challenge. "An extremely competent physician? Not to mention one of the only two physician's even capable of treating Inoue Orihime's condition. For that matter it took both of us working on your friend to even save her life. Was that something along the lines of what you were going to say?"

Ishida didn't answer nor look in his father's direction. He kept his gaze averted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Still a coward." Ryuken began walking out of the room but spoke to Isshin without turning around. "Kurosaki, your son may stay but make sure he keeps his ridiculous reiatsu lowered. I don't need anything interfering with my patients recovery."

"Seriously, what's with this 'Kurosaki' business? And she's my patient too!" Isshin hollered to the silver haired man even though he had already left the room. Everyone was silent as they took in the information Ryuken had shared with them.

"How long is she going to be in a coma dad?" Ichigo asked.

"I wish I could say." Isshin sighed. "However long it takes is the only answer I can give you." He patted his son on the shoulder. "Try to have faith Ichigo. Stay with her for now but your sister's will be here soon. They've missed you."

That was three days ago. He was released from the hospital the following morning but he came back to her room everyday and stayed for hours. Their other friends would come by as well. The shinigami would only spend a few moments each time, as they had many of their own still wounded and a lot to repair in the wake of Aizen's defeat. Ishida and Sado would bring lunch to the room, always bringing another bento with them. They somehow knew he would already be there. Most of the time they simply sat in silence around her bed. Any conversation they started would inevitably lead to things that were better left to discuss another day.

Perhaps the most surprising visitor to Ichigo was Urahara. The man always knew what was going on but he liked to stay in the shadows. However, everyday Urahara showed up with his mischievous smile on, waving his fan around. Although, when he looked at Orihime, his smile faded and a somber, guilty look filled his eyes. Tessai would accompany him but all he could do was weep silently in the background.

Flowers of every shape and color filled the room. Outrageous bouquets from the vizards sat in one corner, most signed with Shinji's ridiculous backwards writing; though one was from Hiyori with a note thanking her for her help. A large bouquet of orchids sat near the window, from Tessai and Urahara. Other smaller arrangements from various shinigami littered the room. There was also a vase of tulips from his sister Yuzu sitting next to her bed. He had been surprised when his father led his sisters in the day before. Yuzu was already crying when she entered. She sat the flowers on the table before gently squeezing the healers free hand and speaking softly to her.

Karin came to stand by him instead. After a few moments of silence she finally spoke to him.

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Yes." Was his strong, confident answer.

She looked at him for a moment with eyes that seemed to belie her age. "Did you get him Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo only paused for a moment before he answered her. "Yes." She nodded her head and smiled at him reassuringly. Ichigo knew he would soon have to speak to his father about Karin's ability to see the hollows and shinigami. He worried about the danger she was being placed in by her reiatsu growing. He was drawn out of his thoughts by Yuzu throwing herself onto him and hugging him tightly.

"Don't worry onii-chan, I'm sure she'll get better." her voice was broken by her sobs.

Ichigo almost chuckled. She was trying to cheer him up but she was the one crying. "Did the old man tell you she was in here?"

"No, we saw Tatsuki-chan earlier. She told us how Orihime-chan got hit by a car." Karin answered nodding her head quickly towards Yuzu's direction when she wasn't looking.

Tatsuki. His friend since childhood and now Orihime's best friend. He was scared to call her. On one hand he wanted to tell her he brought her back. She was alive, hurt, but she would be okay. On the other, he was worried about Tatsuki's reaction to Orihime's condition. She was fiercely protective of the gentle healer and to see her like this...well, he didn't know how Tatsuki would react. Whatever would happen, he had to make the phone call.

He hesitated when she answered, unable to make his mouth say the words he needed to. Somehow though, she knew it was him.

"Ichigo?"

His startled squeak was enough of an answer for her. "I know. I've already been up there."

"Huh? When?" was his intelligent reply.

"I felt her presence the moment she came back. I've been up there all day. I just came home to eat and I'll be back. I checked up on you too baka, but you were still out."

"Oh." he swallowed heavily, still nervous for some reason.

Her quite voice came over the phone. "Ichigo, thank you."

Once again he could only give her stunned silence.

"Thank you for bringing her back. She'll be..." Tatsuki had to pause as her voice became thick with tears and Ichigo clenched the phone so hard he though it would break. "She'll be okay. I know she will. Thank you." She hung up but not before Ichigo heard her begin to cry.

He might have brought her back but he didn't save her. She saved them all. He had failed to protect her yet again. Guilt descended upon him heavily and he leaned back in the chair to watch her silent figure.

He had a lot of free time on his hands and unfortunately for him, though there was a lot he could think about, one thing in particular kept coming up.

_"I love you Ichigo."_

He felt his face heat up as he remembered her confession, and her kiss. Ever since that moment his mind had been in turmoil. He still couldn't believe that someone so sweet, so loving, could be in love with him...and he never even had a clue. Now, knowing her feelings, he searched back through his memories of any time they spent together and he could admit that sometimes her behavior had been a little...different. Maybe he remembered a blush on her face when he really didn't know the reason why or seeing her looking at him but at that time he had only thought she had something to say.

He felt like an idiot.

Maybe he wasn't the first person to pick up on subtle signs from people but to miss something like this? He sighed heavily and looked at her sleeping form. Okay so he was an idiot but he wasn't completely blind. He was a normal, well kinda normal, healthy teenager. Yeah he knew she was beautiful. Incredibly beautiful, but whatever...he wasn't a shallow person. Inoue was one of his dearest friends. She was someone he swore to protect, someone he could speak openly to, as much as his personality would allow anyway.

He cared about her, just like he did all his friends but love...?

That was something he had never thought about. He loved his family and friends, he had loved his mother deeply, but he had never had feelings of that nature for anyone. He didn't know what to do.

He didn't want to hurt her. That was the absolute last thing he wanted to do but...

He tossed his magazine aside angrily and crossed his arms over his chest. He was tired of thinking about this already. He would decide what he needed to do when she woke up. He was a man of action and was never good at coming up with a plan. That was more Ishida's style, but he be damned if he asked that bastard for help with this of all things.

* * *

It really was a lovely dream.

She was sitting at lunch with just her beloved Kurosaki-kun enjoying the food she made the two of them. Tuna and red bean paste ramen. That's how she knew it was a dream. Ichigo would never eat one of her favorite treats; no one would really, besides Rangiku-san. Still, even though she recognized it was a dream she hoped she never woke up.

Lunch...alone...with Kurosaki-kun?

Definitely a dream she wouldn't mind staying in.

The pain didn't register with her at first. She absently rubbed her arm when the tingling began. It wasn't long before it felt like her arm was on fire. Ichigo's dream face never changed even when she began crying and clutching her arm to her chest. His face faded away until all she saw was the thick darkness and felt the burning pain. The blackness gave way to reality and she was now grateful she could hear the voices of her powers in her mind.

"Orihime-san?"

"Wake up Orihime-san."

"Oi! Can you hear us woman?"

Tsubaki's shrill voice penetrated her mind and she found the energy to respond.

"Guys, what happened? Why does it hurt so badly?" she asked them with a sob within her mind.

"Nevermind that Orihime-san, you need to heal yourself!" Shun'o said.

"Please Orihime-san, give us the order." Ayame said.

"If I'm hurt like this what about you guys? Do you even have the strength to heal me? I'm having trouble even telling how much reiatsu I have." Orihime replied.

"Would you quit asking pointless questions and heal yourself already!" Tsubaki yelled at her.

She could hear the undercurrents of panic in his voice and that worried her more than anything. The pain was so intense now. Ripples of fire laced up and down her arm and were spreading throughout her body. She was still in the darkness; her eyes felt so heavy she didn't even try to lift them. Though she desperately wanted to see where she was, she knew she was powerless to do anything other than what her powers urged her to do.

* * *

He was just tired of the damn silence at this point.

How many times in the past three days had he simply longed to hear her sweet voice calling out? He'd gladly sit right now and listen to one of her crazy dreams involving robots, or aliens, or wasabi covered foods coming to life and trying to take everyone out. If she wanted to ramble on about how the clouds reminded her of cute furry animals he'd gladly listen. Anything...anything would be fine as long as she'd wake up.

He also needed to apologize to her. Though he had sworn he would protect her, he allowed her to get kidnapped and badly hurt. Remorse flooded his body. He trained with the vizards to control his hollow and learn to use his power in battle, but it had still not been enough to keep her safe. In the end, she had been willing to sacrifice herself for her friends lives. That would have never happened if only he had the power to defeat Aizen and the Espada on his own.

Once again he went into a long internal rant about the injustice of her laying in the hospital bed.

A flicker...

He sat upright and stared at her still form intently.

For just a moment he was **sure **he felt her reiatsu spike. He wasn't particularly good at sensing reiatsu but he'd been so focused on hers lately that he was sure he'd felt it spike.

He watched her form for several long minutes before slumping back into his chair in defeat. Was he hallucinating now? Was he so desperate for her to wake up that he was imagining things? Not that he had decided anything on _that,_as he was now simply referring to her confession in his mind; he just wanted to see her eyes, hear her voice, assure himself that she was alive and he had brought her back from that hell and whatever happened to her over there hadn't damaged her. Grimmjow's words rang ominously in his head as he thought about that.

Without warning, her golden dome appeared over her body and he could only stare at it in wonder. He shot out of the chair and rushed over to place his hands on it. He ran his fingertips over the smooth surface and bathed himself in her calming reiatsu before a large grin, that none of his friends had ever seen, covered his face. Without looking away from her Soten Kisshun, he backed up to the door before ripping it open and screaming for his father. Yelling in the hospital was probably one guaranteed way to get himself kicked out by Ishida's stoic father but that didn't matter...

She was awake.


	3. Chapter 3

Her pain was nothing more than a memory when Orihime felt the pulls of consciousness awake her. It was still difficult to open her eyes so she laid still at first, just trying to gain her bearings. Once again she could hear people talking around her but could not distinguish who it was. She thought she heard her name over and over again from a familiar voice but lethargy was making her muscles difficult to control.

She could tell something important happened but her mind, just like her body, wasn't cooperating with her. The warmth of her powers was seeping through her, letting her know she was under her healing dome. Why though? Why was she needing to be healed? The questions she asked herself resulted in no answers so she decided to worry about it later. First, she needed to wake up fully and find out where she was at.

She flexed her muscles separately, glad to find she was in no pain anywhere, but there was something heavy on her right arm hindering her movement a bit.

_"Just a little more Orihime-san." _she heard Shun'o speak in her mind.

After a few moments, her patience was rewarded and the heavy fog that had been clouding her mind cleared. The voices around her cleared and she was glad to know she was surrounded by friends. Blinking her eyes a few times to clear her vision, Orihime slowly sat up. When she could finally focus her eyes, she saw her beloved Kurosaki-kun staring at her from beyond her golden dome.

"Inoue! Inoue, are you alright? Can you hear me?" he asked. Someone grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him back. He had been pressed tightly up against her Soten Kisshun.

"Give her a minute Ichigo." Isshin said as he ducked his teenagers swinging fist. "She just woke up, give her a moment to get her bearings. Geez, why is my child so impulsive?" he cried as he threw his hands up in the air.

Ichigo watched, as patiently as he could, as Orihime sat up straight in bed and rubbed her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it just as quickly. He saw her try to swallow and reasoned her throat must be dry. She had been without food or water for three days so he knew she must be very thirsty. Thankfully, a nurse had left a pitcher of water in the room and he quickly poured her a glass.

"Inoue, do you think you can remove your dome?" he asked softly as he approached her bed.

Orihime smiled as Ichigo approached her bed with the glass of water. She lowered her dome and allowed her powers to return to her hairpins. A whisper of thanks was all she could manage to give him as she took the glass. He was so thoughtful and kind. She was about to ask for something to drink when he poured the water for her. How anyone could think he wasn't kind was beyond her.

The cool water was refreshing to her throat and her speech was much easier. "Thank you so much Kurosaki-kun. I really needed that."

"No problem Inoue. How are you feeling?"

She rolled her shoulders and stared at the bandage on her arm before she spoke. "I'm alright, a bit weak, but alright. The pain is completely gone so I think after I eat and maybe rest a bit more I'll be back to 100%!" she exclaimed with the brightest smile she could give.

The smallest of grins appeared on Ichigo's face as she spoke. She sounded like her old self and that alone helped quell the fears that were lurking around his mind. He watched her stormy grey eyes roam around the room, taking everything in.

"Kurosaki-kun, where am I?"

"You're in the hospital Inoue. Ishida-san's hospital in Karakura." he explained.

"The hospital? Wha..." He could see the confusion in her expression. He was going to explain further but she turned away from him and examined her room. He noticed the surprise register on her face, and heard the gasp escape her lips when she saw all the flowers decorating her room. She was so engrossed in her discovery that she didn't notice his father checking the monitors she was hooked to.

"How long have I been here?" her question was whispered but he could still hear the shock in it.

"Three days."

"Three days? I've been out for three days? My goodness, I must have been hurt badly."

"Yes you were Orihime-chan, but no worries! Ryuken and I patched you right up!" Isshin said with his big grin.

She finally turned her attention to Ichigo's father and bowed as much as she could to him. "Thank you so much Kurosaki-san!"

"You are most welcome Orihime-chan. It's not often I get to assist such a beautiful woman as yourself." He said and chuckled when she blushed prettily.

"Knock it off old man!" Ichigo yelled to his father.

"Oh come on Ichigo, I'm just complimenting her. It's nothing to get so upset over."

Ichigo remained against the wall with his arms crossed. He didn't respond to his father but he narrowed his eyes at the doctor. Isshin sat beside Orihime's bed and gently picked up her bandaged arm.

"I'm going to take the bandages off now. Let me know if it hurts or feels different in any way okay?"

"Okay."

He slowly unwound the large bandage encasing her arm. Orihime felt no pain as the bandages came off but neither was she shocked to see her arm looking as it always did. She had faith in her powers abilities and knew when the pain ceased when she was under her Soten Kisshun that all her injuries had been taken care of.

"Absolutely remarkable." Isshin said as he ran his fingers over her now healed skin. "Your skin was completely gone. You had lost so much blood we didn't dare do a skin graft at that time. Hell, I though we were going to have to amputate your arm." He heard her shocked gasp and looked up apologetically. "I'm sorry. You don't need to hear all of that. I'm just so amazed at your ability. My kido skills would never have been able to heal you so efficiently. I doubt even Unohana would have been able to do such an amazing job!" He laughed and looked up to Orihime with another question poised for her, but her expression stopped him. Surprise had widened her eyes as she stared at him.

"Y...y...your...kido?"

Isshin tilted his head as he studied her and allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. "Don't look so shocked Orihime-chan. Just because my dim-witted son isn't able to use kido doesn't mean I can't."

"Dim-witted?" Ichigo shouted from his place on the wall.

Isshin turned to look at him. "Just admit you aren't as great as daddy and maybe I'll take it back."

"You wish you old goat." he muttered.

"Kurosaki-san." Orihime's quite voice said but was not heard by the pair in the room.

"Why must my children treat me this way!" Isshin wailed.

Ichigo pointed his finger at his father. "Because you act like that!"

"Kurosaki-san."

"Like what? You should be as out going as me Ichigo! You always act like such a stick in the mud."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at his father. "Better than acting like an old fool."

"Old fool? Now you lis..."

"Kurosaki-san!" Orihime said as she grabbed his hand. He finally turned his attention to the healer.

"I'm sorry, what is it Orihime-chan?"

"You...did you say..." she sighed heavily and rubbed her face with her free hand. She was so confused. "Forgive me for asking, but are you saying you're a shinigami as well?"

Her statement brought silence to the room. Ichigo looked to his father who had the same confused look on his face.

"Do you not remember?" Isshin finally asked.

"Remember what?" Orihime said. Before he could elaborate a knock sounded on the door. Urahara walked in waving his fan around like usual with a tearful Tessai coming in behind him.

"I thought I sensed an increase in your reiatsu Inoue-san. May I say it's wonderful to have you back with us."

"Inoue-dono, I'm so glad to see you up." Tessai said as he wiped the tears from his face.

Orihime tried to smile at the two but Isshin's statement had her floored. He was shinigami? Well, it did make sense in some ways. Perhaps that's why Ichigo's reiatsu was so large. Ichigo was another reason for her confusion. When Kurosaki-san started talking about kido and named Unohana-san, he didn't look surprised at all; but that didn't make sense. Ichigo had always tried to be careful to keep anything about the shinigami from his father so when did he learn about his dad being one?

"Isshin-san, is there something wrong?" Urahara asked.

"I'm about to find out." Isshin said before he turned back to Orihime. "Orihime-chan, what do you remember about the days before you fell unconscious?"

Orihime looked to Ichigo before she spoke. Was it okay to talk about everything in front of his father? She didn't want to say too much and possibly get Ichigo mad at her.

Ichigo could see the question in her eyes. "It's okay Inoue."

She nodded her understanding and faced Isshin again. "Well, I was taken to Hueco Mundo by Ulquiorra. Aizen...well..." Isshin grabbed her hand in his and gave it a comforting squeeze. The barest of smiles came to her lips before she continued. "Kurosaki-kun, Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Renji-kun, and Kuchiki-san came after me. There was...a lot of fighting. After a while, a few of the captains came. I only saw Zaraki-san at first. After Kurosaki-kun defeated Ulquiorra he left for Karakura. I healed Ishida-kun and we met up with the others. Kurotsuchi-san was able to open the garganta again and we followed him to the town." Her eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to remember everything. "It gets a little fuzzy here. I remember meeting up with Unohana-san and healing everyone. Byakuya-san said he couldn't find Aizen and left...Kurosaki-kun." She met his eyes. "I remember feeling your reiatsu. I was scared; I hadn't healed you fully before you left."

Ichigo could feel the sweat begin to trickle down his neck. Would she say it again? In front of everyone? He had not even decided what he was going to say to her. He couldn't very well tell her he felt the same way when he didn't, but he also didn't want to hurt her. Even if he wasn't in love with her she meant a great deal to him and he would rather take Zangetsu to himself than be the reason she shed tears. Damn it! What was he going to do? He forced himself to stay calm and meet her gaze steadily.

Try as she might, she couldn't remember what happened after that. Everything was cloudy in her mind. She could remember the fear she felt for Kurosaki-kun after she discovered his reiatsu, then...nothing. Everything was a blur after that. "I'm sorry, I just don't remember anything else."

Isshin and Urahara looked to Ichigo before they glanced at each other.

"Oh!" Orihime cried as she tensed in the bed.

Ichigo tensed as well. Orihime's eyes were wide and her face paled a bit. She must have remembered. What was she going to do? Maybe she found herself embarrassed now; and though he felt a bit bad for it, he hoped her embarrassment would keep her from saying anything in front of his father and Urahara.

"What happened to Aizen? Is it over?" she asked.

Isshin heard his son release the breath he had been holding and he fought the urge to yell at him. "Yes it's over Orihime-chan."

She sighed heavily and relaxed in the bed once again. "Oh thank the kami." she chuckled and smiled her relief.

"Thanks to you." Urahara said.

She turned to him, expecting to see a joking smile on his face but he looked so serious her smile faded. "What do you mean?"

"The only reason we were able to defeat Aizen is because you destroyed the hogyoku." Isshin said with the same serious look on his face.

She glanced between the two with a look of utter disbelief on her face. Neither man lost that look and she realized they were serious. "I...I destroyed the hogyoku." They nodded to her and she slumped against the back of the bed under the weight of her own statement. "How?"

"It wasn't easy Orihime-chan. Sometimes I still can't believe you did it. That's why your in here by the way." Isshin said.

Ichigo had said nothing through their exchange but his mind was working a million times a minute. She didn't remember.

She really didn't remember confessing to him. All of the worry he had put himself through the last three days...and she didn't remember telling him she was in love with him.

He didn't know whether to be happy or pissed off.

He knew he should be happy about it. If she didn't remember saying it than they could go back to the way things used to be. He wouldn't have to worry about figuring out what to say to her in return, for now at least. Orihime confessed to being in love with him but he didn't know how long she felt that way. For some time she had been hiding her feelings from him. If she didn't remember confessing then he would have more time to decide what he should say to her. He wasn't entirely selfish though. What she went through when she extracted the hogyoku from Aizen...well, that was something he had no problem admitting he didn't want her to remember. He wished he could forget about it as easily.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he heard Orihime ask. He looked to his father and realized he was going to tell her. He had to stop him. If she heard what happened it might trigger her into remembering something and as much of a bastard as it made him, he didn't want her to recall it. Not right now. He needed time.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Ichigo said. He saw his father turn to look at him but he avoided meeting his eyes. He knew his father would understand what he was doing.

"But why Kurosaki-kun?"

"Like my dad said, it's what landed you in the hospital. It's not such a great memory to have." Ichigo pulled away from the wall and started to walk out of the room. "If you don't remember, maybe it's for the best." he said and walked out. Orihime watched Kurosaki-san get up and follow him.

"I didn't mean to upset him."

Urahara looked over to the gentle girl and put his fake smile back on. "Don't worry about him Inoue-san, I promise you didn't do anything, but he may be right."

"How do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, it really was quite bad and if you don't have to live with that memory why try and drag it up?"

She thought what he said made sense but it didn't stop her from wanting to know what happened. The looks on their faces when they talked about it did stop her from asking anything further. They shared the same brief look of pain when she spoke about it. She hated to see them that way so she dropped the matter.

"You're right Urahara-san. Forgive me for bringing it up."

"Don't apologize Orihime-chan. Now is there anything I can do for you?"

* * *

Isshin followed his son out of the room but had to increase his pace in order to catch up with the young vizard. He finally caught sight of him rounding a corner near the elevators.

"Ichigo!" he called as he ran to catch up.

"Leave me alone old man."

Isshin finally reached him and grasped his arm to halt his progress. "No, I'm not going to leave this alone."

Ichigo turned his annoyed gaze onto his father. "What do you want?"

"Are you just going to leave it like this?" his father asked incredulously.

"Do you want her to remember the pain she went through?"

"Of course not, but son...what about..."

"I don't know." Ichigo interrupted him. "What do you expect me to say?"

Isshin studied his son carefully. He was trying to act nonchalant about the matter but he knew his son too well. No matter what act he put on he could tell his son was confused by his own emotions. "What do you want to say?" he asked.

Ichigo tried to pull away from his father but his old man had a grip on his arm he couldn't break. He sighed in defeat. "I don't know and that's the problem; but if she doesn't remember then I don't have to worry about it for now."

"Ichigo, just because she doesn't remember saying it doesn't make it any less real."

"Look I know that okay! I just..." his shoulders slumped as the fight went out of him. "She's an important friend, someone I care about, and I don't want to hurt her. I don't know what I feel so until I figure that out this is the best solution."

Isshin let go of his sons arm but Ichigo didn't move away. When he ran out of the room following Ichigo, he had been ready to yell at his inconsiderate son. Orihime was in love with him and he was happy to forget about the incident? Well, that's what he thought until he spoke with Ichigo. Now he almost felt sorry for the boy. His son was very familiar with anger, frustration, hatred, and even sadness, but love was an emotion he had not experienced a great deal of. Isshin knew his son loved his mother very much and her death affected him hard. Karin acted more like him so the only other member of their family, Yuzu, was the one who displayed her emotions openly.

Unfortunately, this was something Ichigo would have to figure out on his own.

"Whatever you think is best Ichigo; this is your business."

"Thanks." Ichigo began to walk off but he heard his father's next sentence clearly.

"I just hope you don't regret it."

* * *

Orihime sat down next to her table, watching the steam rise from her cup of tea and felt such a sense of relief tears burned her eyes.

She was home.

The pain she felt, the horrors she experienced, they were in the past and she reveled in the joy of being inside her apartment once again. It was now nearly a week since Aizen was defeated. Ishida-san insisted on keeping her at the hospital another night for observation even though she assured him she was fine. Tatsuki came by with food from her mother and kept her company her final night in the hospital. It had taken Orihime another day to clean out her refrigerator and wash all the dishes. All the food was spoiled but it made no difference to her. She was alive, her friends were alive and now they could get back to their semi-normal lives. The hollows would still come around but the Espada and Aizen were gone. Orihime breathed a sigh of relief and sipped her warm tea.

Not knowing about the final battle was still bugging her though. Ichigo had been rather stern about his father and Urahara not telling her what happened. She wasn't upset with him because she had faith that he was only doing what was in her best interest but...she still wanted to know. They said she destroyed the hogyoku, that she made it possible for them to win the war. She felt a great surge of pride in herself for accomplishing something so important; but if she did that, what was so bad they didn't want her to know about?

Orihime looked out her window at the moon shining its soft light into her room. How long had she gazed at the moon outside her room in Hueco Mundo? Was this the same moon she watched as she prayed for her friends safety in the isolation of Las Noches? She rubbed her arms just to assure herself that she no longer wore that horrible black and white outfit they forced on her. She closed her eyes and breathed deep of the night air, pleased to smell the soft fragrance of the flowers she received in the hospital, which were now scattered around her room, assault her nose. There was no one watching her. Nnoitra's reiatsu wasn't lurking outside her room. Ulquiorra wasn't going to barge in issuing new orders from Aizen. She was free once again.

The screeching of a cat startled her so badly she jumped, splashing hot tea over her hands. She fell back, catching herself on her arms, but she bumped into her bookcase knocking her stuffed animal off. It landed on her shoulders prompting a small scream to come from the healer. She crawled back into the corner of the room and pressed her hands against her chest trying to calm her racing heart.

"It's okay Orihime." she spoke aloud to herself. "It's okay. You just freaked out over nothing. No one's here, this is your house and you're the only one in it." Her hands shook as she reached for Enraku. She clasped him tight to her chest and took deep breaths. Slowly, she made her way to her brothers shrine and knelt before his picture.

"I don't know why I got so scared onii-chan. I know Aizen and his Espada are gone, but..." she wiped at the tears pouring down her face. "But I still get scared. Someone accidentally bumped into me on the train this afternoon and I had to stop myself from screaming. What's wrong with me onii-chan? I shouldn't be like this." She gave into her tears and hugged Enraku tightly as she cried. She almost screamed at the knock on her door before she heard her best friend call out to her.

"Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime called as she walked slowly to the door.

"Yeah it's me. Open up Orihime." was her muffled reply. When she opened the door Tatsuki took one look at her face and hugged her tightly. Orihime only cried harder at her friends comforting. Tatsuki held her for a long time; until her sobbing subsided and the healer was once again composed.

"I was going to apologize for coming over so late but it looks like it was a good idea." They both laughed at her statement.

"I'm so sorry Tatsuki-chan. I don't know why I was crying."

"Stop that." Tatsuki commanded. "Don't apologize for crying. That's why I came over. I had a feeling it might be too much for you to stay alone tonight so I came to be with you."

Tears threatened to spill from Orihime's eyes again. "Thank you so much Tatsuki-chan. I don't know what I would do without you!" she exclaimed and hugged her friend again.

"That's what friends are for. I want to be here for you, even if it's all I can do."

"What do you mean?"

"I kinda know what happened." Orihime gasped at her friends revelation but didn't interrupt. "Keigo, Mizuiro, and I were awake when the entire town was asleep. We walked around but couldn't find anyone else awake. I walked to the edge of town only to find a forest! None of us knew what was going on but we knew Ichigo had something to do with it."

"Why did you think that Tatsuki-chan?"

"I've seen him...wearing that black kimono, fighting those monsters." Tatsuki looked to Orihime and found her watching her with such sad eyes. "Don't look like that. I understand why you didn't tell me."

"I'm so sorry." she meekly replied.

"I told you to stop apologizing and I understand. I wasn't sure how you were involved, all I knew was you were gone and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. I had to trust that Ichigo would bring you back...and he did." Tatsuki clenched her fists as her own tears started to fall. "I was so worried about you. I didn't know where you were or what had happened and he wouldn't tell me a fucking thing!"

Orihime hugged Tatsuki tightly and cried with her friend. She felt horrible that she couldn't tell Tatsuki about everything and had caused her to worry so much. The pair held each other until their tears stopped.

"I want to be here for you Orihime. I know you can't tell me everything, but I also know you're still scared. I want to help you however I can."

Orihime looked back into her friends now red eyes and was once again so thankful she had a friend like her. "Just stay with me tonight, please? I wish I could tell you what happened but I wouldn't even know where to begin and you wouldn't even understand most of it. I'm so sorry Tatsuki-chan, I want to but..."

"Shhh...it's okay. I understand. I can't do anything about those monsters so I'll leave those to Ichigo; but what I can do is be here for you right now and any time you need me. Whatever happened...wherever you were at, it's over. You just remember that. You're here and you're safe. That's all I need to know."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

**Before you begin reading allow me to take a moment of your time to explain some things. I could never find an exact date for the end of the Winter War. (If there is one somewhere I profusely apologize for my mistake) The best I could figure, from the 17 month time skip Tite Kubo explained, the War would have been in December. As such, I will be taking some liberties with the time frame. Again, I apologize if the timing is off but please just go with me on this. **

**Enjoy! (and review pretty please)**

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* * *

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-_January-_

Orihime gripped the strap of her school bag tighter as she walked to school for the first time in what felt like forever. In truth, it hadn't been that long, not even 2 weeks, but it seemed like much longer. She stayed home from school for the rest of the week after she was released form the hospital. Tatsuki spent the night with her twice during that time, but she had a karate tournament and Orihime insisted she go to it. She needed to know she could stay alone anyway.

She had no family, she didn't know if her parents were still alive but in her mind they had already passed on, so she had to be able to function on her own. Yes, she was still scared sometimes, but she refused to be beaten by the memories she now carried. Losing sleep was becoming a common occurrence she was getting used to. Even when she didn't have nightmares, it was difficult for her to get to sleep. She kept a small nightlight plugged in near her futon so she wouldn't be encased in total darkness. That was the only reprieve she allowed herself.

She had to beat this. She had to be strong. Everyone had gone through so much, not just herself and she already relied on them enough. Everyone had been injured, had fought terrible monsters, and she desperately wanted to be able to hold her head high along with them. She shook her head to clear her thoughts as she entered the school grounds. It was time to get back to her life. Tatsuki already worried over her enough and Orihime didn't want to add to that.

* * *

"Good morning Kurosaki-kun!"

Ichigo turned to offer a small smile to the owner of that energetic voice. The past few days at school had not seemed right without her around. He called to check on her when she didn't show up that first day. Her anxious voice told him all he needed to know. He was debating on going to her house when Tatsuki came on the line saying she would be staying with her. Ichigo was much relieved to hear that. He wasn't about to leave her alone when she was still suffering so much but even he would admit he wasn't the best person to have around to help with emotional troubles. Her best friend was the much better candidate.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Orihime continued to greet their classmates with a smile on her face. The smile didn't quite meet her eyes, but she looked like she was doing better. He noticed now that she greeted him first when she came in. Thinking back, she always did that. It was just another example of how he somehow missed her feelings. He was no closer to an answer to that problem than when he first found out. He played different scenarios out in his mind to try and get a better grasp on things but that was a fruitless effort. On one hand, if he told her he couldn't return her feelings, he could imagine the heartbroken expression she would wear right before the tears started to fall and he couldn't handle that. A part of him cringed at the thought of her crying. On the other, if he tried to return her feelings...well, he thought back to her kiss and all kinds of different emotions swamped his being. He still couldn't figure those out so he once again abandoned the effort.

Ishida walked into class then and Ichigo glanced away in order to mask any emotion that might have slipped onto his face. The day before, Ichigo had once again been thinking about everything with Orihime and apparently something showed on his face because the ever observant Quincy asked him what was going on. Ichigo told him it was nothing but he felt as if Ishida had been watching him closely since then. The last thing he needed was to have him find out about everything.

Orihime laughed as Tatsuki made some comment to one of their classmates. This was going better than she could have hoped for. Class hadn't started yet but she was standing in a group of people, talking and laughing without any problems. Tatsuki told them the same story about her getting hit by a car that Kurosaki-san told his daughter. It explained her near two weeks of absences and gave her excuses so she could now catch up on all the work she missed.

She was so proud of herself. After class, she planned to speak with her teacher and get all the assignments she missed and she would begin those tonight. Once she was caught up she could properly focus on her lessons now and maybe even attend some of the handicrafts club meetings. She glanced at Ichigo out of the corner of her eye. He seemed fine when she came into the room but now he was tensed up. She studied his reiatsu but it felt normal. Perhaps she was just imagining things.

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and her mind went into panic. Her body acted on instinct. Even though her efforts were normally in vain she struggled none the less. She shrugged her shoulders forcefully and slammed her elbow into the person holding her. Normally, this did nothing and she was held tight against her captor. Stark, Grimmjow, Nnoitra...her strength was nothing compared to them and they had no problem holding her still. This time, her actions were successful but the feminine cry of pain didn't register with her. She whipped around and brought her fist up, ready to deliver a blow to knock her captor out, but she was stopped mid-air by her best friend.

Orihime looked over to Tatsuki, wide eyed, to demand why she stopped her...until she took a moment to glance at her attacker.

Chizuru leaned against the wall, holding her stomach and groaning in pain. Orihime was immediately appalled at her actions. She felt Tatsuki let go of her hand and it fell limp to her side. She had attacked one of her own friends. How could she do such a horrible thing? Tears threatened to pour from her eyes and she felt a pair of hands grip her shoulders reassuringly. She glanced back to see Ichigo looking at her with understanding eyes. He glanced away from her to scowl at the group around them, silently ordering them to leave and daring them to speak a word about the incident.

It made her even more ashamed of her actions.

"Chi-zuru-chan?" Orihime began hesitantly and slowly walked towards the girl.

Chizuru looked up to the beauty and caught the regretful look on her face. She offered what smile she could and held her hand out for the young woman to take. When Orihime grasped her hand she spoke. "Orihime-chan, I'm so sorry."

"No! No, Chizuru-chan! I'm the one who's sorry. I can't believe I hurt you." Orihime was now crying openly. "Please, please, forgive me Chizuru-chan."

"No, I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. I scared you and you were only doing what was natural. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"I...I..." Orihime gave up on trying to speak and simply hugged Chizuru lightly as not to hurt her anymore and cried on her shoulder. After a few moments she pulled away and excused herself from the classroom, Tatsuki following closely behind.

"Kurosaki, Ishida." Chizuru called out as the pair attempted to go back to their seats. Sado, who had come over shortly after the commotion began, continued to stand nearby.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked. He was still riled up from the incident. When he heard Orihime's short scream and turned to watch her fear filled face as she elbowed Chizuru he didn't know what to do. He couldn't hurt Chizuru, but seeing Orihime scared like that made the adrenaline rush through his body and he was ready to fight. He couldn't stand to see her so afraid, but it hurt him just as much to see her breakdown like she did. He had an overwhelming urge to hug her; to try and make her stop crying. He resisted that, but did compromise and grip her shoulders to offer her some kind of support.

"Just what the hell happened to her?" Chizuru asked.

The three men shared a quick glance before Ichigo answered her. "What do you mean?"

"Listen," she hissed and stepped closer to them so her words would not be overheard. "Don't fuck around with me. I know some crazy stuff went on in this town in the past few days and somehow all of you are involved."

Ishida did his best not to show his shock. He overheard Keigo and Tatsuki speaking a few days previously and knew they were slightly aware of the things that went on, but he had no idea Chizuru was aware of it as well. "I have no idea what you are talking about." he said.

Chizuru studied each man's face closely. "Fine. Be that way about it, but I know something happened to her. I can see it in her eyes. Whatever it was, you'd better hope she recovers and it damn well better not happen again." Her hands still clutched over her stomach, she began walking off muttering to herself. "This is why I hate men. Useless creatures. I won't even be able to hug my adorable Orihime anymore."

Sado turned to his friends. "Do you think Inoue is okay?"

Ichigo turned away to look at the door she and Tatsuki had left through. "Tatsuki's with her. She'll be okay." He left to take his seat.

Sado and Ishida exchanged confused glances but left the matter alone.

Class had been going on for nearly 30 minutes before Orihime and Tatsuki walked back in. The former looking much more composed even if she was still wearing a slight frown. As she walked to her seat, Chizuru flashed her a big smile which seemed to brighten the healer's mood. Tatsuki exchanged a pointed glance with Ichigo and he knew he would have to meet with her during lunch.

He tried to focus on the lecture the teacher gave but all during class he continued to sneak glances at Orihime's profile. She continued to watch the chalkboard and write down notes as she needed to but Ichigo could see the stiffness of her shoulders and the small frown on her face. Everything seemed to be going so well the short amount of time before class began. She was smiling, engaging in conversation with her friends, then to have a set back like that. The problem was he didn't know how to help her. He could fight and destroy any creature stupid enough to go after her but when the battle was within her own mind, he felt useless.

Regardless of his confusion over the matter of his feelings, rather _her_feelings, he knew he had to do something to help her. She had been prepared to give up everything for the people she loved and she deserved to feel safe...to be happy. Maybe when he talked to Tatsuki she could help him figure out a way to help her. He returned his attention to the teacher. He would just have to try and be patient until then.

* * *

Ichigo kicked his shows off as he entered his house. Surprisingly, his father did not meet him at the door with an attack. Following the sounds coming from the kitchen, he walked in to find Karin at the table while Yuzu prepared dinner.

"Onii-chan, welcome home." Yuzu said from her position in front of the stove.

"Hey, where's the old man?" Ichigo plundered around the fridge, finally finding a bottle of water.

"He had to go to the hospital. Something about needing to help with a patient. He said he should be home by dinner." Karin answered without bothering to look up from the book she was reading.

Non-plussed by her attitude, Ichigo turned to head to his room. "I'll be in my room. Let me know when dinner's ready."

Kon greeted him when he walked into his room but Ichigo wasn't in the mood for the mod-soul. He threw him into the hallway, shutting the door behind him effectively locking the plushie out. He attempted to talk to Tatsuki at lunch but she wasn't ready to leave Orihime alone so she told him she would call him after school. He shrugged out of his school shirt before lying across his bed. Patience was not one of the things he was known for; especially when the matter concerned one of his friends.

The ringing of his cell phone caused him to jump a little as he had been deep within his own thoughts. He scrambled to get to it before the caller hung up. When he saw Tatsuki's name come across the caller ID he sighed in relief.

"Tatsuki."

"Took you long enough." her irritated voice said.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the phone as if she could see him. "Shut up. I couldn't get to my phone. How's Inoue?"

"She's okay. We talked a lot on the way home from school. She's still upset about attacking Chizuru but...well, at least the perverted lesbian did something right."

"What d'ya mean?" Ichigo asked.

"She apologized again after classes were over. Orihime kept trying to butt in to say she was sorry but Chizuru wouldn't let her. I have to give her credit. I thought she'd take advantage of the situation and try to hug Orihime or cop a feel but she didn't."

"She said she knows something happened in town. She wasn't sure what but I'm guessing that's what made her back off her normal attacking habits."

"Did she?" Tatsuki asked. "Well, that would explain everything. Did you tell her anything?"

"Of course not! Hell, if I can't tell you about it why the hell would I tell that psycho?"

"Just checking."

Ichigo sighed. "Tatsuki..." he hesitated here. He knew he shouldn't feel embarrassed or anything but admitting he was at a loss as to what to do was not something that came easy for him. His need to help Orihime over weighed his own insecurities though. "I don't know how to help Inoue. I want to help her but this isn't something I can just..." _kill_, his mind supplied, thankfully his mouth didn't listen.

"Ichigo, look, I understand this is hard for you but Orihime is going to need your help."

"But that's what I'm saying! I don't know how to help her!"

"She just needs her friends Ichigo. She's going to need her friends to support her while she works through this. Hell, at least you know what caused her to be this scared! I don't even know that and before you say anything I don't think I want to know. The things I am sure of are enough to worry me sick over you and her, I don't need to know anything else." She sighed into the phone before continuing. "Just be supportive. Talk to her, let her know you're there for her. I know you're pretty much an unfeeling bastard but you can do that much right?"

"Unfeeling bastard? What the fuck Tatsuki?" He yelled to her.

Her laughter filtered through the phone. "Knew that one would get ya. You know I'm kidding."

"I don't know why you're Inoue's best friend."

" 'Cause I'm awesome. Look Ichigo," she said, becoming serious once again, "Just letting her know you want to help will actually help her. She needs to know you're going to be there for her. You're her friend, right?"

"Of course."

"Then just act like it." she said and disconnected.

Ichigo stared at the phone for a minute before he put it back onto his table. He wasn't sure if Tatsuki was right but he would try. Whatever it took to help Inoue he was willing to do. He didn't know everything she went through while in Hueco Mundo and he wasn't sure this was the time to ask. All of this just pissed him off once again at Aizen and the Espada he created. He might have killed them but the pain they caused still lingered.

He thought about his mother.

The pain that came with her death was always still there. It was something that would never go away but he learned to deal with it. He remembered how his sisters and father acted when he shut everything out right after his mother's death. Once he was able to open up and cry right along with them, everyone seemed to begin to heal.

Maybe Tatsuki was right. Just letting Inoue know he was there for her might be a strong step to helping her recover. He got up from his bed with a new found sense of hope. Now that he had something of a plan he was feeling much better. It might take some time but he was going to do everything he could to help Inoue get back to her old self.

* * *

Orihime filled her glass with water from the tap while she observed the city at night through the window above her sink. The cool water washed down her throat and she sighed as she saw the time on her wall clock. 3:15. Well, a small smile lit her face, at least she was able to sleep 4 hours before her dreams woke her up. Normally she would have said nightmares, but this time it felt completely different.

Aizen was present in this dream, just like in the rest of them, but instead of killing Ichigo in front of her, or making her watch as he destroyed Karakura, he was simply talking. She frowned as she struggled to remember what he said but his voice had been muffled and she couldn't make out his words. Someone began to yell from behind her, but as soon as she turned to see who it was she woke up. She had a nagging feeling that this was something she should remember; something that wasn't simply a product of the horrible events she went through. Try as she might, nothing else could come to her so once again, she pushed the matter aside.

Her first month back home was nearly over and though she had some very rough times, she felt she was getting better. In fact, she could name the day everything seemed to turn around.

It was nine days age, on a Wednesday.

_She approached school like normal but this time Ichigo was waiting for her at the gates. A blush immediately stained her cheeks as he locked eyes with her and softly called out her name._

_"Inoue."_

_"Good morning Kurosaki-kun." She mentally patted herself on the back for not stuttering when she talked. _

_"I want to talk to you real quick before class starts if that's okay?" Ichigo asked. Now not actually meeting her eyes. _

_"Ummm...sure. What's going on?" _

_Ichigo looked around them to make sure they were alone before he continued. "Listen, I know the past few weeks have been hard on you and I just wanted to let you know that I...I mean I..." Ichigo broke off his sentence and began to rub the back of his neck as he felt her gaze studying him. Her innocent grey eyes roamed his face and he couldn't help but notice the blush that tinged her cheeks so prettily. "Look, I'm just trying to say I'm here if you need me okay? If you wanna just talk or whatever. You're not alone in this." Since his last sentence was said to the ground he wasn't able to see the widening of her eyes. Her mouth opened and closed without any words coming out before an extremely large grin split her face. Knowing Ichigo still wanted to be there for her even though she was causing everyone trouble made the butterflies in her stomach fly around in a mad dash. _

_"Thank you so much Kurosaki-kun. It means so much to me that you still want to help me even though I cause you nothing but trouble."_

_Her tentatively spoken words gave him the courage to face her once again. "You don't cause me or anyone else trouble Inoue. Don't think that. We're friends and friends are there for each other no matter what right?"_

_She nodded her head enthusiastically. _

_"Well, good. I'm glad we understand each other. Let me know if you need anything okay?"_

_"Okay. Thank you so much Kurosaki-kun." she said, turning her doe eyes on him._

_Something wild fluttered in the vinicity of his stomach and he gripped his bag tightly as he fought to ignore it. "Come on, or we'll be late for class."_

_The bright haired teens walked into school together, one with a bounce in her step no one had seen for weeks._

Her recovery was a slow process but she could feel the changes taking place. She didn't scream or jump if someone bumped into her anymore. She wasn't feeling the need to constantly look over her shoulder every time she walked down the street. Her nightmares still plagued her but she knew that would just take time to go away. Most importantly she had her friends.

Ishida-kun continued to attend the handicrafts club with her and he offered to help her with any assignments she had missed. Sado-kun had walked her home many times; and both boys told her the same thing Ichigo had. If she needed anything, they would be there for her.

She might not have any blood related family left but the friends she had made up for that a million times over. Though they were mostly fighters by nature, they huddled around her and shielded her in her darkest times. If her own strength couldn't carry the weight of her burdens, they would gladly take some of it for her.

Her heart swelled with the knowledge that she was most definitely not alone.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It seems a few of you have a pretty good idea of where I'm taking this story. I should have seen that coming from such amazing readers like you! :)**

**Perhaps I still have a few surprises left for you though...**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**

* * *

**

_-February-_

Orihime squealed a bit as she bumped into someone rounding the corner of the hallway. Her books tumbled from her hands and she bent down hastily to retrieve them. A masculine hand came into her line of vision as it helped to gather them up. The hand then took her own and helped her to her feet. She looked up into the kind, handsome face of a boy in the same year as she. Although they didn't have the same classes, she remembered he was quite popular because of his skills on the soccer field. He had thick, black hair and a pair of stunning green eyes. Of course, she preferred deep brown eyes that seemed to change with their owners emotions.

"I'm so sorry Inoue-san. I wasn't watching where I was going." his deep voice said.

Orihime had to look slightly upwards to gaze at the tall young man. "Oh no, please, it was my fault...umm...Hayashi-san, right?"

He smiled wide, showing a row of perfect white teeth. "Yes, it is. Hayashi Masaru."

"Thank you for helping my pick up my books. I'm sorry but I have to get to class. Have a good day Hayashi-san."

"You as well Inoue-san." She stepped around the young man and continued on to class.

Ichigo remained where he was, against the wall, watching the exchange. He was preparing to step in for his friend but he was slightly surprised when her small squeak didn't turn into a scream nor did her body paralyze in fear. Weeks after the war and she was slowly returning to her old self. He found he watched her more often than not. The haunted look was leaving her eyes as they once again filled with the happiness she always exuded. Some nights must have been worse than others though. Occasionally she would come to school still looking tired. Bags hung under her storm grey eyes and her movements were almost skittish.

Those days he and his other friends stuck close to her side. She was never alone during her day and by the end, as he watched Tatsuki walk her home, the bounce was back in her step. He wanted to ask her what her nightmares were about, but he had a pretty good idea already. Even from beyond the grave Aizen still taunted him; torturing Inoue in her dreams, the one place he couldn't go to stop him.

Ichigo stepped from the wall as he saw a group of guys hovering around the doorway to the classroom Inoue went into. He didn't recognize any of them so he knew they were there only to leer at his friend. He walked up behind them and cleared his throat loudly, sending a harsh glare to the group as they turned to see who was behind them. Having a reputation for being a punk had its uses; he watched as the group scrambled to leave his presence.

The whole lot of them made him sick. None of them knew her. They only knew her name because she was one of the top students in school and one of the most popular. The girls all loved her because she was so sweet and caring and the guys...well, it wasn't a secret why she was popular with the guys.

Many times he saw her getting hit on by the boys of Karakura High; the worst part was she didn't even seem to notice it. Oh, they weren't blatantly obvious but that could only be attributed to her sweet nature. Even the wolves had some mercy for the poor rabbit they hunted. It was getting worse too. Ever since she turned 16 it was like the entire male population declared it open season on stalking her every move. He saw them in the hallways watching her as she walked. Thankfully most of them were either too nervous or too scared by the looks he and his friends gave out to approach her.

That didn't mean it stopped them from looking. He even caught one of them taking a picture of her on his cell phone. The boy scampered off after he got it, probably to show his friends, so he escaped Ichigo.

He told himself he was only concerned for her feelings. She was so trusting and sweet that she could easily be taken advantage of by one of those guys. That's why he felt the need to punch every one of those assholes in the head. It meant nothing else. He cleared his head and walked through the door before he got in trouble with the teacher. At least in the safety of the classroom, none of the guys had the audacity to try anything like that with her.

* * *

-xxxxx-

_Buildings lay crumbling around her. The wind whipped her hair and she shivered from the cold feeling caressing her naked shoulders. Looking down, she found herself once again wearing the outfit of Las Noches. _

_"Just what do you hope to accomplish here?" _

_She jerked her head up at that monotone voice that filled her gut with dread. While she couldn't see his face because of the white mask covering it, she was sure it was Aizen. She glanced around her but no one else was there. She stepped back slowly as she realized she had been left alone with the monster. _

_"I admire your courage..." His voice trailed off as the wind rushed past her ears again. The mask shattered and his rage was nearly palpable. _

_She screamed as pain racked through her body. Her blood raced down her arm and it felt as if the flesh was melting away. Aizen screamed at her while he thrashed about trying to get away from whatever was holding him in place. _

_Something shattered and she felt herself falling. Aizen's hands reached out to grab her. Fear swamped her being as he grew closer and closer..._

Orihime awoke with a scream dying on her lips. Sweat poured down her neck; she absently rubbed her arm where the pain had been the greatest. She fell onto her back as awareness filled her mind. The room was silent except for her harsh breathing.

She was having the same recurring dream every few nights since the end of the war. Every time it changed a little. Well, perhaps changed was not the right term to use. The dream remained the same but now she could hear the words Aizen tried to say. The pain was new as well. Something about this dream was so familiar but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Every time a new element was added she felt as if she were about to remember something then it fell from her grasp just as quick.

A sigh past her lips as she rose from her futon. It was already 5:30 in the morning so there was no use in trying to get back to sleep before she had to get ready for school. The streets were still empty, she observed as she heated water for a restoring cup of tea. The calender hanging on her wall caught her eye. February 14th was coming up at the end of the week. This day caused a myriad of emotions to fly threw her. For the past few years it seemed she got quiet a few more stares from the male population of her school on Valentine's Day. Tatsuki informed her they were watching her carefully to see if she gave out chocolates to anyone.

Orihime sipped her jasmine tea as she thought about the only man she wanted to give a Valentine's gift to. Every year she tried to talk herself into giving Ichigo something but every year she backed out of the idea. For one, it would embarrass him and heaven knows she never wanted to do that. Also, she had no idea if he would even welcome a gift from her. He had never given her any indications that he was the least bit interested in her. Sure, he protected her and had been helping her so much these past two months; but, that's what friends did for one another and Ichigo valued his friends very much. He would do anything to keep them all safe.

She didn't want to burden him with her feelings. If he didn't feel the same way her confessing to him would make things so very awkward. Even if they tried to stay friends it would change everything, not to mention break her heart. If she had to look at his beautiful brown eyes reject her...she didn't know if her heart could handle that kind of pain. And of course, there was his close relationship with Kuchiki-san. She couldn't help her jealousy over the petite shinigami. Kuchiki-san always seemed to be able to snap Ichigo out of his gloomy moods. She encouraged him to fight harder and they stood side by side in battle.

Orihime knew her powers were completely different than the shinigamis. They were more suited for shielding and healing people but that didn't stop her from wanting to be able to be at Ichigos side. A spot that more often than not was filled by Kuchiki-san.

The cup of tea in her hands was still halfway full and now cold as she slipped into her thoughts. She poured the tea out and tried to rid herself of the depressing thoughts that tried to take her over. Once again, she wouldn't give Ichigo chocolates and finally tell him of her feelings but she also wanted to do something for him. The past two months would have been unbearable if not for his help; as well as Ishida and Sado. Each one of her male friends had been so wonderful and so patient with her as she tried to rid herself of the nightmares and insecurities that had taken a deep hold of her in Hueco Mundo. She wanted to show them how much she was thankful for them but how?

She jumped in the shower and started to get ready for her day. An idea began to form itself as she rinsed the conditioner from her long auburn hair. Could she pull it off? There were only four more days until Saturday, when Valentine's Day would fall this year. Of course she could! Rushing through the rest of her toilet, she grabbed her pen and a small notebook as she began to write down a list of things she would need.

* * *

"Karin-chan, come on we're gonna be late for school!" Yuzu yelled to her sister from the bottom of the stairs.

Ichigo took his time as he finished up his breakfast. He wasn't in a rush this morning, as his father had woken him up, too early in his opinion, with his usual attempts to kick him. He watched as Yuzu gathered her things for school. There was a small box on top of her books with a red ribbon tied around it. Curiosity nagged at him until he finally asked.

"Yuzu, what's with the box?" He watched her turn a bright shade of red and begin fiddling with her skirt.

"That's the reason she won't be coming straight home from school." Karin said as she came around the corner.

"Karin-chan!"

"She's gonna make a Valentine's Day stop off at Ura..." her words were lost behind Yuzu's hand. The light haired twin pulled her sister out the door and Ichigo could hear them bickering in the street.

"Who the hell is she giving a Valentine's Day gift to?" Ichigo wondered. His normal scowl deepening as he thought about his sister giving some guy a gift. The scowl he wore began to fade as a slightly fearful look replaced it. He forgot all about Valentine's Day.

Would Inoue give him a gift today? At school? In front of everyone?

He gulped as he could imagine the embarrassment he would suffer as everyone would surely be watching one of the most popular girls in school give a gift to someone on the 'Love Holiday'. What would he do? He couldn't stay out of school; there was an important test today. He also couldn't avoid her, they shared the same class not to mention she sat on the row across from him.

_Damn it. _He almost forgot about her confession since things had been slowly returning to normal. The way she spoke, acted, and blushed around him was the same as it was before the war started. Now he simply noticed it and though at first he didn't know what to do, he was now used to the behavior. He even came to appreciate the small smiles she seemed to reserve for him alone.

But Valentine's Day?

He hated the day. It turned every female in their school into simpering, giggling masses that huddled around each other throwing weird looks to every boy in sight. Thankfully, his scowl kept them away and he was left alone. Wait, he never got a gift from her before. Did that mean that maybe this year would be the same? True, he didn't know how long she'd had feelings for him but there was at least a chance he'd make it through the day unscathed yet again.

"Yo, Ichigo? You ready?" He heard Keigo yell from the street. Reluctantly he gathered his bag and headed out the door to where his two friends awaited him. He prayed he could make it through the day.

* * *

Ichigo cringed as another female's shrill cry rang though the air. Apparently whoever she gave her chocolates to received them positively and yet another couple would be walking through the halls. He sat in his chair purposefully ignoring Keigo who stood beside him whining about his lot in life. Mizuiro continued to text any number of the women he juggled through, probably making plans for later Ichigo mused.

"Why is it that once again I have yet to receive any chocolates? How can these women overlook a catch like me?"

Ichigo and Mizuiro shared a quick glance but decided not to reply to their friends obvious question.

Keigo clapped his hands and his eyes looked into the distance, unseeing, as an idea hit him. "I know. This will be the year! She's been holding out on me but I know this will be the year the goddess will bestowed me with her love!"

Ichigo raised his eyebrow to him. "Who are you talking about?"

"Inoue-san!" Ichigo's eyes widened but his friend took no notice. "Ah, the beauty that is our goddess of Karakura High. She must have been shy the past few years but I just know that she will meet me today with her coy look and her box of home-made chocolates and our love affair can begin!"

Keigo didn't notice the narrowing of Ichigo's eyes nor the death grip he now had on the desk, but Mizuiro did. His fingers began flying across the keyboard of his phone as he took in this interesting sight.

"Good morning Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said with her large smile as she entered the classroom.

Ichigo's demeanor immediately changed as she walked in. He relaxed and waved to her. Keigo now had tears running down his face as they all watched the beauty go straight to her desk and take out her books for class noting there were no chocolates anywhere in her hands.

"Idiot." Ichigo mumbled to Keigo and the boy took off to his own seat. Why he even got mad at Keigo's stupid ramblings he didn't know. He knew for a fact that the scenario Keigo concocted would never happen but just hearing him talk about it pissed him off. Now he couldn't even rely on his own behavior? Just another reason he had to hate Valentine's Day.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxx-

"Where is Asano-san? He normally joins us for lunch." Ishida said.

"Dunno." Ichigo replied. The group sat on the roof during lunch as was their custom. "Probably running around trying to talk some poor girl into giving him chocolate." He shrugged in indifference and continued to eat.

"He never learns does he." Mizuiro said without looking up from his phone. Sado grunted his agreement and silence fell over the group once again.

Ichigo looked through the railing at the group of girls sitting around the trees. They were still giggling and Ichigo rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was about to turn around when he noticed the absence of a certain red-head. That was definitely unusual since Tatsuki was amongst the group.

"Hey everyone."

Ichigo whipped his head around to find Inoue walking towards their group.

"Inoue-san, this is a surprise." Ishida said. "You do not normally join our little group during lunch times."

"Oh, I just wanted to ask you all something." She said but her smile faltered a bit when she noticed Mizuiro with them.

He caught the slight reaction and stood up to leave. He didn't have the best grades but he could read women very well. "If you'll excuse me I think I'll go check on Asano-san."

Orihime clasped her hands together as a frown appeared on her face. "I'm so sorry Kojima-kun. I didn't mean to make you leave; I promise this will only take a moment."

He turned his smile on the healer. "Don't worry about it Inoue-san. As you can see I was finished eating anyway."

"Well..." she bit her lip in thought. "Okay, I really appreciate it Kojima-kun. Oh, and you'll probably find Asano-kun near the gym."

He nodded to her and left the roof.

"How do you know where Keigo is?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, well he was kinda being bothersome to a group of girls in the year below us so I told him there was a pretty brown haired girl looking for him near the gym." she replied with a big smile.

The guys stared at her, stunned. Ishida pulled himself together first to ask the question they were all wondering. "You lied?"

Her hands came up in a defensive gesture. "Of course not Ishida-kun! I would never lie!"

"Wait, wait, wait, are you telling me there's actually a girl looking for Keigo?" Ichigo said in disbelief.

Orihime laughed. "Yeah, but I didn't tell him it was his sister."

"So what was it you wanted to ask Inoue-san?" Ishida asked. His smile wider at the thought of Keigo's plight.

"Umm...are you three doing anything tomorrow?"

The three looked at each other in confusion but told her they were free.

She graced them with a large smile. "Great! Would you all come to my house then? Let's say 4pm?"

"What for Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

She shook her head. "It's a surprise! Please just say you'll come. Please?"

The boys all caved. The moment she whined out her request and turned her large doe eyes on them they all toppled like domino's.

"Okay." Sado said.

"Of course I'll be there Inoue-san."

She turned her attention to Ichigo and he felt his gut clench at the look on her face. "S-s-sure Inoue. I'll come by."

"Yay! Thank you so much you guys! I gotta get back to Tatsuki-chan but I'll see you all later okay?" she practically skipped off towards the stairs in her happiness.

"What do you think this surprise is?" Ishida asked, cutting the silence that descended amongst them.

"I don't know but I haven't seen her that happy in a while." Ichigo said.

Ishida looked over to his friend. He felt something had changed slightly since the end of the war. From the moment Ichigo rushed into the hospital to find her, having to be subdued when he wouldn't calm down, there was a slight change in the way he interacted with Inoue. Ishida doubted anyone else saw it; the changes were subtle. Ichigo would sometimes watch her when she wasn't aware, but his face would be scrunched, as if trying to figure out something. The glares he sent to the men who watched her were filled with more malice. His ability to find her reiatsu so easily now was astounding, especially since he could rarely detect anyone else's. He watched her closely to detect her moods. They were all worried about her and wanted to help her but it was somehow different with Ichigo.

Ishida did not like being kept in the dark. He would figure this out.

* * *

Ichigo stuffed his hands further into his pockets as he made his way to Inoue's house. It was cold but at least it wasn't snowing. His jeans, t-shirt, and thick black jacket were enough to stave off the cold. It was a little past four. He purposefully left his house a little late, not wanting to arrive at Inoue's first. The significance of the day wasn't lost on him; it was Valentine's Day. What confused him was that she invited all three of them to her house. If she was planning on giving him some sort of gift wouldn't she have done that alone? It didn't make sense to him. Maybe he was just worrying for nothing.

He looked up, surprised to see Sado and Ishida nearing her steps. He jogged quickly to catch up to them.

"Oi, you guys running late too?" He said, his breath turning to steam in the cold air.

"Only slightly though I see you are as well." Ishida said as he pushed his glasses back in place.

"Stuff it." Ichigo muttered and walked past him to ring her doorbell. She opened the door and he immediately felt heat rushing to his otherwise cold face. He admitted it, at least to himself, but damn if he wouldn't do so again today. Orihime was a beautiful woman.

Her long auburn hair was gathered in a loose bun at the base of her neck. Her black sweater hugged her curves and the neckline dipped ever so slightly. The jeans she wore fit snug on her hips and her small toes peaked out from underneath. "Hey! Oh my goodness, come inside you must be freezing!"

They rushed inside to escape the chilling winds. She took their coats and led them further in.

"Inoue-san, it smells wonderful in here." Ishida said. Ichigo had to agree. He was normally wary of her cooking but whatever she was making today smell divine.

"I'm so glad you think so. Come on, I've made dinner for you." She turned and led them to her table where she had it filled with steaming rice bowls, miso soup, sashimi, yakitori, meat and potato korokke, and gyoza. She smiled slightly as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "Sorry, I might have went a little overboard. I didn't know what all you guys would want."

Ichigo was stunned. Everything smelt so wonderful and looked delicious. "Inoue, what's this for?"

She gestured for everyone to sit before she began. "I'd been trying to think of a way to thank you guys for everything you've done for me. I'm not talking about just the past few weeks." Ichigo watched as her eyes closed briefly and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Coming to Hueco Mundo like you did. I had convinced myself I'd never see any of you again." Her voice broke and Ichigo felt his heart clench at the sound. "Then I felt all your reiatsus." A few tears streaked down her face and she hastily wiped them away. "Nope, not today." she seemed to tell herself. "Sorry, anyway I thought Valentine's Day would be the perfect time to show you guys how much I appreciate you. But...then I got to thinking and you know as tough as you guys are, you get embarrassed pretty easily."

Each of them voice their denials. She crossed her arms under her chest and regarded each one of them. "Really? So you're saying if I came to school with a box for each of you wrapped up with a pretty bow you wouldn't be embarrassed?" Her gaze landed on Ichigo and he felt himself flush. Hadn't he been worrying about her doing just that the other morning?

"Thought so. I decided to do this instead. I'll never be able to thank you guys enough for everything you've done for me but I wanted to try."

"Inoue-san, you don't have to thank us." Ishida said.

"But I want to Ishida-kun. You all are just so important to me." Her voice broke again. Ichigo couldn't stand it any longer. He reached over and clasped her hand under the table.

"Inoue, you're important to me too. And to Ishida and Chad. You didn't have to do this, but thank you." He told the truth, she was important to him. He couldn't imagine her not being around and her tears were driving him crazy. He squeezed her hand gently and was glad to see her smile again. He told himself not to think about how warm her hand was.

"Can we eat? This food is smelling to good to ignore." Sado said causing Inoue to laugh.

"Yes, eat please! I hope you like it."

The friends ate, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. Ishida and Ichigo left their insults for one another at the door. A silent understanding passed between the two of them when she began talking. This was a special meal for her and they would ignore their usual tendencies to snap at each other. Orihime was smiling and laughing and they didn't want anything to ruin that.

Soon after, nearly all the food was gone and each member sat back with smiles on their faces and full bellies.

"Damn Inoue. That was amazing." Ichigo said and proceeded to lie down.

Orihime giggled at him but Ishida narrowed his eyes at the substitute. "Would you get up! What kind of person lays down after eating a meal at someone else's house?"

"Oh shove off Ishida. Blame Inoue, it's her fault I'm like this." Ichigo cracked his eyes to look at her. When she caught his gaze he winked, sending her into another fit of giggles.

"Obviously you have absolutely no manners what-so-ever!" the stern Quincy continued to lecture. Orihime laughed as she gathered up the dishes to take to the kitchen. Sado stood up to help her but she stopped him with a glance.

"You stay right there Sado-kun. You are not allowed to lift a single finger."

"Inoue, there's a lot of dishes here." he protested.

"I'm just taking them to the kitchen for now. Kurosaki-kun, don't sleep just yet, you haven't had dessert."

He shot up from his 'nap'. "Dessert? Where?"

Orihime laughed from the kitchen while Ishida turned his inquisitive gaze on Ichigo. "You seem to be enjoying yourself Kurosaki."

"Why wouldn't I be? Are you saying you aren't?"

"Of course I'm am. I'm just saying I haven't seen you act this happy...ever." Ishida said.

Ichigo rested his head in his hand and turned his gaze away from Ishida. "The war's over, Inoue's almost back to her old self, and I just ate one of the best meals I've ever had. Excuse me if I'm happy."

"It was really good." Sado said.

"I know. Who would've thought that she'd be able to make something like that. Do you see what she normally eats? Kami, the girls got some weird tastes." Ichigo said.

"You've been acting different for a while now Kurosaki. What's going on?" Ichigo looked over to see Ishida staring at him as if he could see the answers himself. He was about to bite back a remark when Inoue walked back in. She carried a tray that had four cakes on it.

"I was just gonna make one big cake but I thought it be cuter to personalize them." She said with a grin. Sure enough three of the cakes had names written on them. She distributed the cakes appropiately and instructed them to dig in.

The small, round cake was covered in chocolate icing with white icing for the letters. Ichigo smiled at the way she written 'Kurosaki-kun' in an arch so it would fit on the cake. He brought a piece to his mouth and had to stop himself from making an embarrassing noise. The chocolate from the cake melted into his mouth. It wasn't too sweet nor too bitter. He looked over and found her watching him in such a way he flushed.

"How is it?"

He swallowed thickly. "Wonderful."

Her smile grew brighter. "I'm glad you like it." She ate a piece herself; it didn't register with him that he was staring at her mouth as she licked the chocolate icing from the fork.

_**"Well that was an interesting idea."**_

Ichigo ducked his head to hide the coloring in his cheeks, promising his hollow immense pain if he didn't go away.

It was dark when the guys decided to leave. Orihime stopped them, saying she needed to get something from the kitchen. She returned with two boxes, each tied with a blue ribbon.

"Ishida-kun, Kurosaki-kun, I'd appreciate it if you could give these to your fathers."

Ichigo studied the box addressed to his dad. "What is it?"

"Each of them have the same kind of cake I made tonight." she answered.

"Inoue-san, it's very generous of you but I assure you my father does not deserve your kindness." Ishida said.

"That's not true Ishida-kun." she said and the guys were surprised at the reproachful tone in her voice. She smiled softly before continuing. "I may not remember what happened but I'm pretty sure I would be dead right now if it weren't for Ishida-san and Kurosaki-san. I know you aren't on the best terms with your father Ishida-kun, but if you could maybe just leave it where he would find it? I'm sorry, I guess I shouldn't be asking you to do this."

"No, it's alright Inoue-san. My apologizes. I will make sure he gets it."

"Thank you so much Ishida-kun."

"Thanks for everything Inoue. I'll see you at school." Ichigo said as he left her apartment. She waved goodbye to them all as they headed in the direction of their homes.

* * *

"Ichigo, where did you go? You missed dinner!" Isshin exclaimed as Ichigo entered the house.

"Save it dad. I told you I'd probably be gone a while."

"Fine. What's in the box?" he asked.

Ichigo looked down to the white box with its blue ribbon as if he'd forgotten he was carrying it. "Oh, yeah...this...ummm...it's for you." He held out the box for his father to take.

Isshin stood with his mouth gaping. "You...got me a gift?" The exuberant man ran to the poster of his late wife crying in joy. "Oh Masaki! Our wayward son has finally decided to show his father the love in his heart!"

"Shut up you old goat! Like hell I'd get you anything! It's from Inoue!" Ichigo screamed, kicking his father in the back.

"Orihime-chan? Wait, you were at Orihime-chan's tonight?" His eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Yeah."

"On Valentine's Day?"

Ichigo felt his eyebrow twitch at his father's insinuations. "It wasn't like that. Ishida and Chad were there too."

His father's face fell in obvious disappointment. "Well give me my present!" He snatched the box from Ichigo and opened it carefully. He smiled when he saw the cake with his name written on it. "She baked me a cake?"

"All of us actually. She invited us over for dinner as a 'thank you' for everything."

Isshin leaned against the counter, enjoying his cake, while he watched his son carefully. Ichigo wouldn't make eye contact with him and his posture was ridged. He could tell his son didn't want to talk about the dinner too much. He wondered what happened.

"And? How was it?"

Ichigo looked at his father. Something in his tone of voice told Ichigo he needed to cut this conversation short and get out of there. "It was good. I'm stuffed so I'm gonna turn in early."

"This cake is amazing. Was the rest of the food this good?" Isshin asked.

"Yeah, she's a great cook. Surprisingly."

"Beautiful, smart, and a good cook. Do you think I'm too old for her?" Of course it was meant as a joke but Isshin never saw the right hook that put him on the floor. He heard Ichigo's heavy footsteps as he left the kitchen. It was a few minutes before his head stopped spinning enough for him to get up. Out of all their rough housing, Ichigo never hit him that hard before. A smile split his face and he chuckled to himself. Maybe his son was learning.


	6. Chapter 6

**-March-**

Orihime hummed her favorite tune as she walked back home from her successful trip to the bakery near her house. Finally, after almost ten weeks since the conclusion of the war with Aizen she was caught up on all the school work she missed, up to date on all the Handicrafts Club projects, and was once again doing very well in school. Hollows still attacked the souls in Karakura, but Soul Society rotated shinigami representative's for the town who were more skilled than the previous one who took over when Kuchiki-san lost her powers. Ichigo still helped the shinigami, as well as Sado and Ishida, so she hadn't used her powers in over two months.

The extra time she now had on her hands gave her an idea. She would finally apply for a part time job. Money was always tight in her household; the insurance money left from her brother would assure she was never kicked out of her apartment but she rarely had any left over. Since she turned 16 she would now be able to get a job. She had been wondering where to apply to when she received thank you notes from Ishida-san and Kurosaki-san.

She kept Kurosaki-san's on her book shelf at home. He sent her, what she considered to be, the most wonderful card decorated with flowers of every color on the outside. Inside, he wrote her nearly a whole page expressing his gratitude for "one of the most wonderful cakes he had ever tasted". She could practically feel his usual enthusiam coming from the page. Kurosaki-san was such a kind, happy man that made her laugh every time she saw him.

Truthfully, she was not expecting any sort of thank you from Ishida-san, not that it mattered. She was so thankful for what he did for her and she had been merely expressing her gratitude. When she opened the plain, white envelope she received through the mail she had been astounded it was from him. She took the letter from her pocket to read it again.

_Inoue,_

_It was not necessary for you to send anything as a token of gratitude. I was simply doing my job as a physician. _

_However, I will say it was quite good. Your skills with pastries seem to be very accomplished._

_Ishida Ryuken_

From her interactions with Ishida's father, she knew he was a rather hard man and did not give out words of praise easily. His letter was like a glowing report to her and she brought it with her to her job interview to keep her spirits up. The thank you notes, as well as her friends reactions to the cakes, gave her the confidence to apply for the job at the bakery. The interview was a success and she was now officialy an employed woman.

Her brother always told her he liked her cooking; well, as long as she didn't put the things she liked into it. Once she was old enough, she took over making dinner for the both of them. Sometimes he wouldn't get home until late from his job and she liked having dinner ready for him. The first few times she cooked for him, he smiled and complimented it but she could tell he was just sparing her feelings. She didn't understand, didn't everyone put honey in their ramen? She watched her classmates at school carefully for the next few days; well, their lunches to be exact. The truth was layed out before her, no one liked the things she did. Once she realized that and applied it to cooking for her brother he began enjoying the dinners immensly. When she cooked for her boys on Valentine's day, she did the same thing.

It was a hard habit to break; not cooking only the things she enjoyed, it had been so long after all. She would do her absolute best though. Being employeed gave her a sense of adequacy. No longer would she have to continue relying soley on the small stipened she received each month. She was finally becoming an idependant woman.

She smiled and resumed humming her tune, saying hello to the people she passed by. It was still early but instead of calling Tatsuki and hanging out with her best friend, she decided to head home to rest. Most of her nightmares were slowly disappearing but the recurring dream was still happening. Last night was the longest version of it yet.

The white mask shielding Aizen's face broke and the voices behind her began screaming again. This time she was sure one of them belonged to Ichigo. She still couldn't see his face but she was absolutely sure it was his voice screaming out for her to get away. As Aizen continued to curse at her, Shun'o and Ayame came into view. For some reason they were both crying, then the pain started. She woke up shortly after that, panting for breath as usual.

It all seemed so familiar but she still couldn't tell if it was real or not. Normally she would have asked Ichigo, seeing as how it was his voice she heard; but even now, ten weeks after the war, if anyone spoke about the final battle he got very angry and walked off. She didn't want to anger him anymore.

Lately, she caught him looking at her sometimes. She would have been happy about it except his face was confused, it looked as if he were searching for something. Once he realized she saw him looking he would turn away abruptly. Asking him about it didn't help either. He would only reply with a "It's nothing" and walk away. She was beginning to think she had upset him somehow. Especially after yesterday.

All she was doing was standing in the hallway speaking with Hayashi-san. Something had fallen out of her bag and he was kind enough to pick it up for her. He asked if she would be attending the karate tournament the next weekend. Turns out, he was very good friends with a member of the karate club and his friend often spoke of Tatsuki. He told her a story about his friend getting beat by her, but the story was so funny she couldn't help but to laugh loudly.

That was when Ichigo came up to them with his trademark scowl deeper than ever. His reiatsu was beginning to leak out and she was immediately nervous. Ichigo didn't speak to Hayashi-san, merely stared him down as he asked her if she was ready to go. When she didn't answer, only looked on the scene with confusion, he clearly said "I'm walking you home". He didn't give her time to answer, merely grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her away. She had to call her farewells to Hayashi-san over her shoulder as the vizard left the hall.

She asked him several times on the way to her house if something was wrong but he would only reply with a clipped no and continue walking. When they arrived at her house, as soon as she had the door unlocked he walked away, leaving her very confused and a little upset. He didn't look at her a single time on the way to her home. Even though he said nothing was wrong, Orihime couldn't help but to feel she did something to anger him.

She could have dwelled on the subject for much longer but her musings were interrupted by a familiar reiatsu. She barely had time to look up before she was caught in a large hug from her busty, blond friend.

Ichigo sat quielty at the table in Urahara's shop. The petite shinigami beside him was eyeing him curiously, adding to his ever present irritation. It wasn't that he was un-happy to see Rukia, just the opposite. It had been nearly three months since he last spoke to her; he was glad to see she was okay after the end of the war. Just...now wasn't a time he wanted to hang out with everyone.

He was pissed off and he had no one to blame it on except himself. His actions yesterday left even himself baffled. When he saw Inoue talking to that guy he stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. Why was she even talking to him? He wasn't a friend of hers. Judging from the last time he saw her talking to him she barely even knew his name. Sure he was in the same grade as they were, but he was in a completely different class and the patch on his bag showed he was on the soccer team. He didn't even share the same club as her.

He watched the guy smile at her and when she returned it Ichigo felt himself start to get pissed off. He had no idea why it made him mad for her to be smiling at him; all he knew was it did. When she laughed loudly at some lame joke the guy told he couldn't take it anymore. He marched straight over to the pair, intent on taking her home right then. Tatsuki was at club practice so she couldn't watch out for Inoue; someone had to do it.

He narrowed his eyes at the bastard and was surprised to see him stare right back. Normally, anyone of the male students on the receiving end of his glares would run off. But no, this asshole had the gall to stand there staring at Ichigo like **he** did something wrong. Orihime didn't seem all that ready to leave so Ichigo made sure he had a secure grip on her wrist before he pulled her along. Over and over she asked what was wrong but what could he say? "I got pissed because you were talking to that guy?" Even to his own ears he caught the implications of that statement. Knowing she would take it the same way he told her nothing was wrong.

He left her at her apartment door and turned away before he could catch a glimpse of her worried eyes that he knew would have him telling her everything in no time. His reaction to the situtation baffled and upset him. He brooded over it all night but the only answer he came up with was not a satisfactory one.

There was no way in hell he was jealous of some lame soccer player. He had nothing to be jealous over. He didn't have feelings for Inoue; besides, he knew she was in love with him so she was just being polite. She was a friendly person and enjoyed talking to everyone. Why her talking to this guy in particular pissed him off he didn't know. But there was no way it was jealousy!

"Ichgio."

He turned to face Rukia and raised his eyebrow in response to her call.

"You're moodier than ever. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

A sharp punch to the head had him reeling back before he could catch himself. "What the hell was that for?"

Rukia sighed and crossed her arms. "For lying to me. Honestly..." She huffed before softening her tone. "Tell me what's wrong."

Ichigo thought seriously about it for a moment. Rukia was always someone he could count on to help him work through his problems, but those generally consisted of him being skeptical about his abilities to protect the people he cared for. This situtation was a different matter. True, she was also a woman and would be able to provide some much needed insight to the conundrum he found himself in, but it was just too personal. It would be too embarrassing for him to talk about.

"Sorry Rukia, but this time I just can't talk about it. I'll figure it out on my own."

She regarded him for a few moments more before giving him a small smile. "Okay, baka. But you know I'm always here if you need to talk. You know how twisted you can make things inside that thick skull of yours."

He was able to return the smile this time. "Only sometimes."

"Kami, you're too much like Renji."

"Oi! Don't say that!" he replied with a disgusted look to his face.

"What? It's true and you know it."

"Where is the big pineapple anyway?"

Rukia chuckled before answering. "He forgot to do his report on the newest recruits for the sixth squad. Nii-sama was not happy. So as punishment, he has to train the newest members of the squad for the next two weeks."

Ichigo was confused. "Is that bad?"

"Definetly. They're already a little scared of him and they have to do kido drills and practice fighting with their Zanpakutos released in shikai. I can already imagine how many trips to squad four's hospital he's going to have to take. Poor Renji." She was all out laughing now. Ichigo joined in her laughter, and that's how Orihime found them when she and Rangiku walked into the shop.

Ichigo saw something flash across her eyes and her lips took a slight turn down before she seemed to catch herself and smiled brightly to the two.

"Hello Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san." Inoue greeted as she walked in. She forced herself to hold her smile in place as she took a seat across from them.

_Kurosaki-kun looks so much happier than earlier. His bad mood from the past few days seems to have disappeared completely. Of course Kuchiki-san was able to help him, she's such an amazing person. I wish I could do that for him. _

"Inoue, how are you?" Rukia asked her friend.

"Good thank you. How have you been? And where is Abari-kun?"

"Renji has work to do in Soul Society so he can't come today, and I'm good as well thank you." the raven haired woman answered.

"Not to sound rude, but what are you guys doing here? Is everything okay?" the healer asked.

Rangiku placed her tea cup back on the table before she answered. "Everything's fine Orihime-chan. We just wanted to check up on you all. It's been a while since we were able to come because there was so much to take care of after Aizen's defeat."

"Have you found Gin?" Ichigo asked.

Orihime felt Rangiku tense beside her. She wasn't fully aware of the relationship her friend had with the missing shinigami but she knew Gin was someone Rangiku had been close to at one point in time. Her heart ached for the busty shinigami. To have someone you care for turn against you like he did...

As discreetly as possible, Orihime slid her hand over the curled fist Rangiku had poised on top of her thigh under the table. She squeezed it gently, silently letting the woman know she understood and was there for her. Rangiku let the tension roll off her shoulders and opened her hand to grab onto Orihime's. Their exchange went un-noticed by the pair across the table.

"No. We have no idea where he's at or if he's even still alive."

Her voice was monotone, completely devoid of emotion and Ichigo sensed he should abandon the line of questioning for now. He'd ask Rukia about it later.

"So, how's everyone else doing?" He asked, hoping to revive the good cheer that was in the room before his faux pas.

Rangiku smiled again and the atmosphere was normal once again. "Everyone is doing good. Well, beside's Abari that is." she laughed at his plight.

"What's this about Abari-kun?" Ishida asked as he and Sado entered the shop.

The door to the room slid open revealing Urahara. "Yes, tell me what has happened to my previous house guest."

Rukia explained Renji's absence and the group of friends laughed once again. They spent the next two hours catching up with each other. Orihime was so happy to have her friends around her once again. Even though they had worked together out of necessity to begin with, they had all come to mean so much to her. They formed bonds of friendship that she hoped with everything she was, could last a lifetime. Perhaps even beyond death.

As the night wore on, Rukia announced she would be heading back to Soul Society. Her captain gave her permission to leave for the world of the living to check on their human commrads but she did have to return else she would be in trouble once again. Rangiku decided to go with her. She wanted to stay with Orihime for the night and talk about a lot of things but she had paperwork to finish.

Ichigo was about to make a comment on what he considered to be an unlikely scenario, but her serious face made him reconsider. Maybe something was wrong with Toshiro? He did remember the tiny captains face after he realized he'd impaled his childhood friend on his own sword. The young man lost it. He wanted to ask how Toshiro was doing but he'd already brought up enough bad thoughts for one evening. Besides, he was sure the captain was probably still suffering.

How would he feel if he would have fallen for one of Aizen's tricks like that? What if he'd struck Inoue down with his own sword?

His stomach lurched violently, nearly bringing him to his knees just thinking about it. Her blood staining Zangetsu, her teary eyes looking at him in question before they were forced closed by unconciousness. He shook his head to remove the image his mind had painted. His heart went out to Toshiro.

Maybe he would need to pay a trip to Soul Society to check on his friend.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Orihime hummed her usual happy tune as she headed home after work. It was the end of her third week and things were going wonderfully.

Okay, well maybe a few things could have gone better but that was her first week there. Once she got the hang of things, everything turned around. Her manager was impressed with her decorating abilities and he always complemented on how she interacted with the customers. Her cheery attitude drew everybody in. Even the so called "punks" that passed by the store without stopping were now coming in and buying their confections.

She didn't know why he called them punks, they were always so nice to her.

She received her first paycheck earlier that week and, though she cashed it, she had yet to spend any of it. Sora taught her long ago the value of money and she knew not to squander it. Most of it she would continue to save; just in case she needed it for an emergency. However, golden week would be coming up in a little over a month and unlike previous years, she wanted to save some money up to do fun things with her friends. They could go to the movies, maybe the sakura festival...the list was endless and the excitement was nearly too much to bear.

School would be starting back soon. She spent the short break working nearly everyday. Not that is was bad, she really enjoyed her job. She loved meeting all the new people that came in the shop and her co-workers were so friendly. Besides, during her breaks from school she normally either spent time with Tatsuki or entertained herself at home. It was nice to have someting to do on a regular basis, even if it was a job. Tatsuki still came over and they spent her off days together. She had more competitions during the past few weeks anyway, so Orihime would have been alone had she not been at work.

Tatsuki stopped by the bakery several times and really got to know Orihime's co-workers. She was very proud of her friend. She told Orihime she had inspired her and Tatsuki was seriously thinking about applying for the assistant instructor position at her dojo.

Orihime smiled brightly as she thought of her friend teaching. Tatsuki could be brash sometimes but she was a very good teacher. Orihime was proof of that. Who would have thought that Tatsuki could teach the normally clumsy girl karate?

The darkened streets were a bit quieter than usual as Orihime walked home. The street lamps lit the road enough that Orihime could see her route clearly but she touched her precious hairpins residing near her temples in re-assurance. She tried to begin humming her tune again but a heavy feeling settled onto her shoulders.

"Mmmm...you smell delicious." an ominous voice said from somewhere above her.

Orihime stopped walking and drifted her gaze upward. A large, angry looking hollow hovered above the building nearest her. The blackened eyes from behind the mask stared at her. It's large tail swished side to side as he raked his long, lethel looking claws beside him.

"You can see me girl? Such a delicious soul I've found."

Orihime searched out but could find no other reiatsu around her. There would be no help coming, she would have to defeat this hollow on her own. As the hollow lunged at her, she placed her fingers to her hairpins again and for the first time in nearly three months, she called her powers forth.

"Santen Kesshun."

Her bright, golden shield materialized in front of her. The hollow crashed into her shield, but it did not break. The hollow bounced off and tumbled a few feet before standing again and staring at her.

"What the hell is that?" it screeched before lunging at her again. It was repeled again. "Just what the hell are you?" It crashed into her shield again.

That sentence...it was so familiar. The female arrancar, Loly, had asked her that before as well. The memory was so clear she could practically hear her voice, dripping with disdain, as she asked it.

_"Just what are you?" _

The hollow was screeching now as it banged away at her shield.

_"She's a monster."_

Again, and again the hollow sliced at her, only to be blocked by her glowing shield.

_"I will take back everything you stole from me."_

As the hollow raced towards her, he whipped to the side and lashed out with his tail. Pain laced through Orihime's shoulder as it hit its intended mark. She fell to the ground, clutching herself as pain racked her body. Her shield shattered.

The hollow advanced on her slowly, growling low in it's throat.

Again.

She was on the ground, beaten, again.

She saw the hollow approaching but why were there flashes of white? Twin black pigtails appeared in her vision. The white outfit of hueco mundo teased her. She could clearly see the hatred reflected in Loly's eyes.

_"You're boyfriend's as useless as you are."_

Orihime cringed at the memory. Why? Why was she always like this? Why couldn't she even help herself?

_"I really hate you."_

It was too much. It was all just too much for her to bear.

She could feel his hands on her face. She could hear his low tone of voice.

_"Smile. Everyone is sad when the sun is blocked, right?"_

His eyes changed and his voice dropped it's even tone. Malice laced his words.

_"You little bitch."_

"Nooooo!" her scream rang out into the night. The hollow stopped its advance and stared in confusion at the human who was clutching her head and screaming.

Her powers burst forth as her body glowed brightly.

"Oi, woman! Get ahold of yourself!" Tsubaki screamed but the words did not reach her ears.

It was all medling together. Every punch each arrancar dealt her, every scathing look they threw her way, every time Aizen spoke her name. Her friends falling one by one as she sat in that prison of a room.

Watching Ichigo die.

"Orihime?" Tsubaki asked, voice trembling slighty as power began invading his body in a way it never had before.

She didn't answer him. Her head lifted and even her powers shook in fear at the curiously blank look in her eyes. No words left her mouth as she lifted her hand slowly and pointed at the hollow. Tsubaki received the unspoken order and shot off towards it.

A scream of pain peirced the night as Tsubaki sliced through the hollows leg. Blood drenched the ground as his appendage fell from his body.

"Orihime-san, please get ahold of yourself." Shun'o said as he gently approached her.

Once again, she didn't answer; she simply swept her hand and watched as Tsubaki followed her command and sliced through the hollows arm.

He screamed in pain. "Stop it you crazy bitch!" The hollow tried desperatley to back away but could do nothing more than fall on the ground in pain.

"Please Orihime-san." Ayame said through her tears.

She swept her hand downward. Tsubaki shot through the mask of the hollow. His cry of anguish was cut short as his body dissolved into mere spirit particles.

Orihime allowed her hand to fall back limp at her side. The pain, sadness, and rage bottled inside of her, having left all at once, exhausted her. Unfortunately she couldn't fall asleep in the middle of the road. She stood up, pausing to catch herself on her unsteady feet. The shun shun rikka gathered around her, their worry evident on their faces. She looked at them all but paused when she met Tsubaki's angry stare.

"What the hell was that woman?"

"Why don't you tell me Tsubaki-kun?"

"Huh?" her fighter asked.

Her head dropped slightly. "All of the memories were so clear. I know where each one of them came from, but the last one..." her voice broke with her silent tears. "I know it's not a dream. I just know it isn't." She looked to her powers again, tears pouring down her beautiful face. "Guys what happend to me?"

Each one of the rikka cringed at the pain her voice held. They exchanged silent looks before Shun'o answered her, regret evident in his eyes. "Sometimes...sometimes it's best if you remember on your own. There are somethings that can not be explained."

Her shoulders shook with her sobs. Why? Why was it this way? Why couldn't she just remember?

Shame laced through her as she recalled her actions. She didn't just kill the hollow, she tortured it. Cutting it's limbs off like that...how could she do that to anyone? Even a hollow intent on devouring her. When would this nightmare be over?

"Inoue?"

Orihime whipped around to find Ichigo, in shinigami form, staring at her. His brow was drawn down in confusion as he scanned her body for injuries. He strapped Zangetsu to his back as he slowly approached her.

"Are you okay?"

Even though he wouldn't like it, even though she was **sure** he knew what happened in that weird memory of hers, just like she knew she couldn't ask him, she threw herself into his arms. She clutched his kosode as she cried out all the pain in her heart.

Ichigo wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and held her as she sobbed uncontrollably.

He felt the hollow's reiatsu a short while ago. Not knowing who the current representative for the town was, he put Kon in his body and raced to where he felt the disturbance. Shortly before arriving he noticed the reiatsu disappear. He decided to continue on to the area and see if anyone was wounded. Finding Inoue standing before her powers crying was not what he expected.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her face pressed into his shoulder. He could feel the tears soaking through his kosode. What the hell happened to her? He raised his eyes to her powers but they simply watched her with sadness. Tsubaki shot him an angry glare before he returned to her hairpins with the rest of the rikka.

Great, so he wouldn't get any answers out of them. He scanned her body the best he could but found no injuries to her person. He felt her knees giving way. Before she could fall he bent and caught her under her knees with his arm and lifted her bridal style. She kept her face hidden in his shoulder as she continued to cry. He knew she wouldn't be able to answer any questions he had so he began the journey to her house.

Maybe after she calmed down she would answer him. He used to think as long as she wasn't hurt that she would be okay. Inoue always had the ability to put that smile on her face and seemingly brush everything off. After he defeated Grimmjow she presented him with that smile. Only minutes before her eyes had been wide with fright as she cried for him to not get hurt anymore; but once the battle was over she was smiling again. Grimmjow's words came to him once again.

_"Maybe she got hurt on the inside."_

His grip on her tightened. What happened to her? What could possibly cause this beautiful, happy woman such pain? Anger flooded his system for whatever did this to her. He couldn't handle her tears. Each time she sobbed he felt pressure like a knife stab through him. He just wanted her smiling. He wanted to hear her laughter. She didn't deserve this. She was too kind, too sweet to ever deserve pain like this.

Inside Ichigo's soul, far from where he could hear him at the moment, Zangetsu stood with a frown upon his face. His deep voice resonating across the skyscrapers to where the hollow sat with his back to him.

"Ichigo, I wonder if you know it's raining."

**A/N: **

**I hope it didn't get too confusing there with the memory of Loly and Aizen speaking to Orihime as she fought the hollow. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

-April-

Ichigo slumped onto the ground, his breath coming in short pants. He hadn't even bothered pulling out Zangetsu to deal with that hollow. His frustration and anger demanded a more intense workout so he destroyed the hollow with his fists. True, it took much longer and he had not avoided injury but he felt somewhat better. At the very least he was able to vent his frustrations on someone. A full week had passed since the night he carried Inoue home, crying after defeating the hollow. He was so sure that once she calmed down she would explain what was wrong.

Apparently he didn't know Inoue as well as he thought he did.

Once he got them to her apartment she slowly removed herself from his arms and composed herself. By the time she looked up into his worried chocolate gaze her tears had stopped and she managed to put a small smile on her face. She apologized for crying on him like and assured him she was okay. Of course he called her on her obvious lie but no matter how many times he asked and no how matter how many ways he tried to convince her, she wouldn't tell him the real reason she broke down like that. She would only tell him it was because it had been so long since she fought and she was scared she wouldn't be able to do it.

He wasn't buying that bullshit for a second.

Her eyes told him she was lying. He could still see a tinge of fear in her gaze...and something else he couldn't identify. She kept averting her gaze to the side and in a moment that caught him completely off guard, she asked him to leave. He was so stunned he couldn't do anything but adhere to her request.

He told her he would be there for her; why now, when she obviously needed help, was she turning him away? Why would she push him away if she was still hurting? Why wouldn't she let him help her? And what confused him the most was why would she lie to him?

The last person he ever expected to lie to him was Inoue. That was even before she confessed to him. He knew she trusted him. She proved it time and time again; but if that was the case why wouldn't she trust him again to help her with whatever was going on?

Ichigo felt the gentle breeze cool his skin. He lifted his eyes to the sky to watch the clouds rolling overhead. The darkend objects confirmed what he heard on the TV earlier that day; it would rain later. Somehow that seemed appropiate at the moment. He released Zangetsu and allowed his sword to simply lay beside him as he thought back over the week.

At school the next day, Inoue seemed almost completely okay. There was only a moment he thought he saw a haunted look in her eyes before she shook it free and smiled warmly at him. Once again she apologized for breaking down like she did and for him having to carry her home. This was said with a slight blush to her face that for some reason caused a warm feeling to rush through him. Ignoring that feeling, he once again asked her what really happened but she simply avoided the question and ran off to meet Tatsuki who was calling for her.

The whole situtation was pissing him off. He wasn't mad at Inoue but he was, well...hurt. It was painful; the knowledge that Inoue didn't trust him enough to tell him what was wrong with her.

_You mean the way you did Tatsuki before you left for Hueco Mundo?_

He ignored the remark from his concious.

He stood up and strapped Zangetsu to his back. Leaping onto the nearest telephone poll, Ichigo took off for his house to retrieve his body.

Maybe it was time to talk to her again.

* * *

A light breeze ruffled her long hair as Orihime walked home from school. Tatsuki had karate practice so the healer decided to leave early in hopes she could actually have a moment to herself. She loved her friends dearly but they were beginning to drive her a little crazy. For four months, someone was nearly always with her. If Tatsuki couldn't walk home with her then Ichigo, Ishida, or Sado made sure they went with her. Only when she was in the privacy of her home was she finally alone for the day; but she continued her part time job and Tatsuki still came over to hang out, so her days alone were few and far betweem.

She knew her friends meant well and they were just really worried about her but they were crowding her! Walking home like this, enjoying the cool breeze, not having to keep up conversation or worry about embarrassing herself (as she was always afraid she would do in front of Ichigo), was something she didn't realize she missed until she no longer got the opportunity to do so. Initally, she felt horrible for the feelings she was having but according to one of the more popular magazine series, every woman needed "me time". Assuring herself that she was indeed normal, she gave into the need to be alone. She didn't have work that evening and the weather was so nice she couldn't resist the temptation to walk into the park that was on her way home.

As she descended the concrete stairs into the park, she could hear the children laughing on the swing sets. Another group were playing soccer in the small field. As much as she enjoyed their laughter, she was looking for a little more solitude. She continued her walk furthur in, passing by the large trees and finding the jogging path. It was still too early for the afternoon joggers to be out so she had the path all to herself.

She thought about the incident with the hollow the week before. Only once since then did she have the recurring dream. It remained the same as before, making her more frustrated than usual. She had been hopeful that the attack could have possibly triggered something else from her memory to show itself. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. She knew she had upset Ichigo with her refusal to tell him the truth but she just couldn't do it. She trusted him with everything she was, but she also trusted her powers. They told her this was something she would have to remember on her own and as much as it frustrated her, she supposed they were right. They were the physical manifistation of the powers of her soul; how could she not place absolute trust in them?

Thankfully, she was able to defend herself properly the second time around. Walking home from work four days later she found herself being attacked by another hollow. Just like the last time she was alone in the area. She tensed for only a moment before calling her powers forth and defeating the hollow with little problems. The shinigami representative for the area showed up just as the hollows mask split from Tsubaki's attack. She suffered no injuries and walked home extremely proud of herself.

The wounds left by Hueco Mundo were closing. She no longer had any problems being out in a crowded place, if someone touched her shoulder she didn't scream or immediately tense up to fight, if only she could figure out what this one particular dream was about she felt as if she'd be back to normal. Not that she expected to be completely normal. She knew from experience that certain events could change a person. She did her best not to let anything change who she was inside but sometimes an event would either strengthen or weaken her character.

Like her friendship with Tatsuki.

She had been at a very low point in her life when she first became friends with the dark haired girl. Being bullied nearly everyday, losing her precious brother... those things had left her so very weak. Then Tatsuki came along. Through her friendship, she gained the confidence to re-grow her hair long; it was also Tatsuki that caused such a fierce protectiveness to well up inside her that her powers activated for the first time. Those were changes caused by unfortunate events in her life.

She knew this time would be no different. She had yet to see any difference in herself or her actions but she knew time would tell.

A soft cry from up ahead caught her attention. She quickend her pace up the trail but was stunned by the sight before her. Kurosaki Yuzu was sitting on a park bench to her right crying into her hands. Orihime slowly walked over to where the light haired twin sat so as not to startle her.

"Yuzu-chan?" she said softly. The girl picked her head up and Orihime was upset to see the girls puffy red eyes and trembling lips.

"Ori-hime-san?" the girl said through her sobs. She quickly wiped her face and tried her best to remove the remenants of her tears. Orihime sat on the bench beside her.

"What's wrong Yuzu-chan?"

"I'm sorry." her quiet voice replied. "I didn't think anyone would be by here."

"Please don't apologize, I should be doing that; but if there's something I can do to help you I would like to."

Yuzu began crying again. "I'm just so embarrassed."

"What happened?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?"

Orihime fought the urge to smile at her words. "Of course I won't."

"Okay." once again she wiped the tears from her face before she stared at the ground and began her story. "I was walking home from school when I heard some girls laughing behind me. I'm not sure who they were but I think they're in the class ahead of me in school. I saw one of them point to me and whispered to the girl next to her and they all started laughing again. I tried to ask them what was so funny but they bust out laughing and ran off."

"Why would that embarrass you Yuzu-chan?" Orihime noticed she had tears threatening to spill again so she rummaged around in her bag for a moment before she located a tissue for the distraught girl.

"Thank you" she mumbled as she took the offered tissue. "I didn't see anything on me so I kept walking, just thinking the girls were crazy or something. There was this older guy ahead of me, like older than my oto-san. After I passed by him he came back up to me and bent down to whisper "I think you should go to the bathroom dear". I asked him why but he just pointed me towards a store and told me to go." she started crying harder.

"What was it?" Orihime asked though she now had a good idea what upset the girl. Looking at her appearance, she saw the light jacket she had tied around her waist.

"I started my period for the first time and didn't know it!" she buried her hands in her face again and wept. Orihime wraped her arm around the girls shoulder and allowed her to cry. She could understand Yuzu's embarrassment. Not realizing you were on your cycle and having the evidence show through your clothes would be embarrassing for anyone. "Now I don't know what to do." she heard the girl mumble.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," she began, drying her tears, "I know a little about what to get, I guess. There's just so many different things in the store! I looked at it before but I just got confused. Anyway, I left all my money at home and if I go back oto-san is gonna see me and he'll start asking questions and I just don't want to talk to him about this!" her tears started to fall again. "And I don't know why I'm crying so much!"

Orihime couldn't help but to chuckle at her. She understood only too well what the young girl was going through. She could remember the first time she got her period. Running from the bathroom screaming, she grabbed her phone and promptly called her best friend rambling on about how she was gonna die and she wanted to say goodbye before that happened. Luckily, Tatuski's mother had been standing close enough to hear the conversation. Picking out the important pieces from her frantic words, she was able to decipher what was wrong with the young girl. She took the phone from her daughter and told the sobbing Orihime they would be over there in a moment. She grabbed some necessary things from the bathroom and led her daughter to Orihime's house. That evening, both Tatsuki and Orihime received much needed information from the older woman. That was a few years ago and now it seemed it was time for her to return the favor to another young woman.

Orihime stood up and held her hand out for the girl. "Come with me Yuzu-chan."

"Huh? Why?"

"We're going to make a stop by the store then we're going to my house." Orihime didn't wait for a reply but gently grabbed the young girl's hand and pulled her up. "I understand completely and this is something I can definetly help you with."

"But I don't want to trouble you Orihime-san." Yuzu sputtered as she followed the older woman.

Orihime turned her bright smile onto the twin. "Trust me, it's no trouble at all. You know you are gonna have to tell your father about this." She held her smile even though Yuzu's eyes shined with more unshed tears. "He needs to know Yuzu-chan. He's your father and a physician. Don't you think he is already aware that this was coming?"

The young girl only hung her head and nodded slightly in reply.

"Before all that, you and I are gonna talk." Yuzu's head snapped back up to meet Orihime's eyes. "I know this is embarrassing but it's something every woman has to go through. I'm pretty sure this will be much less painful to talk about with someone who actually _knows_ what you're going through, right?"

A smile tried to creep on her face before another though struck her. "But...but I don't have any money on me."

Orihime chuckled once again, "Please don't worry about that. I'll get everything you need."

"But..."

"No buts." She instructed the young girl before her voice softened once again. "Yuzu-chan, I really do understand what you're going through. You know I live alone right?"

"Umm...yeah. I've heard Tatsuki-chan say that before."

"Well, her mother was the one who helped me understand what was going on the first time I got my period. If she hadn't been around I don't know what I would have done." Orihime stopped walking and looked down at Yuzu. "If there's someone else you'd like me to call for you to talk to I'd be glad to; but, if you're comfortable with me, I'd like to help."

Yuzu gave a sad smile to the sweet woman. "There's no one else, not really. There are a couple of older women who live around us but, as nice as they are I really don't want to talk about this with them. I'd really appreciate your help Orihime-san."

She squeezed the girls hand. "Then let's go."

* * *

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

"I never realized just how many products there were for this!" Yuzu exclaimed as she walked into Orihime's apartment.

The healer laughed and sat the grocery bag on her counter. "There are an awful lot, but don't worry, it's easy to pick out what you need. Now, why don't you go get in the bath and I'll find something for you to wear. Just leave your clothes on the countertop and I'll put them in the wash."

"I don't know how to thank you for all of this."

"You don't have to thank me Yuzu-chan. I'm glad to be able to help." The girls smiled at each other before Yuzu disapeared into the bath and Orihime went to one of her closets to go through some of the storage boxes she had to find something to fit the young girl.

Sometime later, Yuzu came out of the bathroom wearing the old pajama pants and soft t-shirt Orihime provided for her. The girls got comfortable and Orihime began explaining all she could to the girl. Yuzu was surprised it wasn't as embarrassing as she thought it was going to be. Orihime eased all of her worries with a gentle smile and tales of her own experiences. She answered any question Yuzu asked of her and by the time they were finished, the young girl was once again feeling comfortable in her own body.

Orihime made some tea while Yuzu went back to the bathroom. She rummaged through the bag from the grocery store until she found the small box of pills she was looking for. Yuzu came back out and Orihime sat her on her futon before taking out two of the pills and giving them to her.

"Go ahead and take those."

"Why?"

Orihime handed her the glass of tea. "I've seen you rubbing your stomach ever since the park. You're having cramps aren't you?"

Yuzu lowered her eyes briefly. "It does hurt a little."

"You should go ahead and take something for it before they get worse."

Yuzu took the offered pills and laid down on the futon as per Orihime's instructions. She slid her hand out of the covers to grab Orihime's and squeeze it gently. "Thank you so much Orihime-san. I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done for me today."

"You're very welcome Yuzu-chan. I'm glad I was there to help you. Just remember, if you want to talk about anything later don't hesitate to call me. I'm always here to help. Speaking of that, you might want to talk to Karin-chan soon."

"Eh?"

"You're twins. I wouldn't be surprised if she starts her cycle soon."

"Oh, I didn't think of that."

Orihime laughed softly. "Yeah. If she wants to talk, I'm here. Just remember that."

"Thank you Orihime-san."

Orihime smiled at the girl and left to put her clothes in the dryer. She spent some extra time putting away her clothes she washed earlier and by the time she returned to Yuzu, the girl had fallen asleep. Orihime smiled at her sleeping visage. The young girl clearly wore herself out with her worrying and crying. She was as silent as possible as she went into the kitchen to start her dinner. It was almost 30 minutes later before she realized Yuzu's father would probably worry when his daughter didn't come home. She grabbed her phone and stepped back to her bedroom to call him without waking Yuzu.

Orihime couldn't help but smile as Kurosaki Isshin's enthusatic hello rang over the phone.

"Hello Kurosaki-san. This is Inoue Orihime."

"Oh, Orihime-chan! How are you doing?"

"Very well thank you Kurosaki-san and yourself?"

"I'm good. What can I do for you my dear?"

"I just wanted to let you know Yuzu-chan is at my house. I didn't want you to worry when she didn't come home at her normal time."

"Oh, okay. Is everything alright?"

Orihime could detect his unease in his tone and she rushed to relieve him. "Oh yes, she's doing fine. She just fell asleep."

"Umm...why was she at your house?"

"Oh, well I met up with her in the park and I just helped her out with something. Don't worry though Kurosaki-san, she's fine. I was gonna let her rest for a little while then I'll walk her home. If that's okay that is?"

"Orihime-chan, what was wrong with my daughter?"

Orihime didn't want to betray Yuzu's confidence, but she couldn't ignore the obvious demand for answers coming from Kurosaki-san. His tone didn't allow for a refusal.

"She started her period."

A long silence followed that statement.

"Karin won't be home for a couple of hours; she's at soccer practice. I'll just come over there and get her."

"Are you sure Kurosaki-san? I really don't mind walking her home."

"I can't let two young, beautiful women walk the streets at night! What kind of man would that make me? I'll be over there shortly."

Orihime said her goodbyes and sat down to do homework while she awaited him. Thankfully, the distance between her apartment and their home was not that far and it only took him ten minutes to arrive at her door. She felt his reiatsu as he approached, she made sure to keep searching for it as she didn't want to wake Yuzu up, and she opened the door to greet him before he could knock.

"Hello again Kurosaki-san."

His face showed no surprise when she opened the door as he arrived on her floor. His normal goofy face was no where to be found either. Instead, he had the serious look of a father worrying for his child. "Hello Orihime-chan. Where is Yuzu?"

She stepped aside to let him in and led him to her sleeping area where Yuzu was still resting. "Oh, I just realized I didn't tell you where I lived. How did you find my apartment?" she asked him. He simply raised an eyebrow at her question and Orihime giggled; not only at her foolishness, seeing as how he could simply follow their reiatsu, but at the now apparent familial habit he and his son shared.

"How is she doing?" his low tone of voice rang out.

"She's fine Kurosaki-san. She was cramping so I gave her some medicine. I think she just wore herself out worrying and crying. I hope you don't mind but I took her to the store and got the necessary items and I talked to her about everything."

He was quite for a moment before he turned bowed to the healer. "Thank you so much Orihime-chan."

She waved her hands in front of herself in embarrassement. "Oh no, please, there's no reason to thank me."

He lifted his head and smiled softly at the young woman. "Yes, there is. I haven't been able to bring myself to talk about this with my girls. I know I should have already but, as I'm sure you can imagine, this isn't an easy subject to discuss with them."

"I know." she said in understanding.

"And I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted to discuss this with their father. This was going to be Masaki's area. I definetly didn't want to have to do it." he paused to look at his daughter again. Orihime could feel the sadness roll off him as he remembered his late wife before he seemed to get ahold of his emotions again. "She needed a woman to talk to and I can't thank you enough for being that woman."

"I'm happy I was able to help her. I told her to call me for anything and I mean that. Also if Karin-chan wants to talk I'd be happy to do so."

His eyes widened before he slapped his palm to his forehead. "Kami, Karin. I don't think I'm gonna be around the house much for a few days a month from now on." Orihime dissolved into laughter at his distraught face. "If Masaki was still here...I think I'd just take Ichigo and leave town each time." She laughed harder at his thoughts and he joined in. Their laughter woke Yuzu up who, when she saw her father, blushed with the knowledge of why he was there.

"How are you feeling Yuzu?" he asked gently.

"I'm fine oto-san." she whispered.

He smiled and helped her to her feet. He didn't say anything but pulled his daughter into a gentle hug before drawing back to look in her eyes. "Sorry I wasn't there for you this time."

"It's okay. Kinda glad you weren't though." she said with a grin. "Besides, Orihime-san was wonderful."

"I'm glad she was there for you." He turned and smiled at the healer again; his sincerity showing in his eyes. "We're gonna have to find a way to thank her."

"Yes we will oto-san. How about I cook dinner for her one night?"

"Wonderful idea my daughter!" he exclaimed, his persona quickly returning to the jovial man she normally saw. "We'll have a grand meal in appreciation for Orihime-chan and as a celebration for my daughter beginning her journey to womanhood!"

"Oto-san! Stop it!" Yuzu exclaimed, her cheeks quickly flushing. "Mou...come on, we need to go home so I can start dinner." she was pushing her father to the door as she spoke. "Thank you again Orihime-san!"

"You're welcome Yuzu-chan!" she followed them to the door but they all froze when Isshin opened the door. Standing on the outside with his fist raised to knock was Ichigo.

"Old man? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked in shock.

"Me? What are you doing here?" his father countered.

"I needed to talk to Inoue about something."

"Come on oto-san. I need to get dinner started." Yuzu said walking past her father and grabbing his hand to pull him along. She looked back to Orihime and noticed the faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "Leave onii-san alone."

"Yuzu? What's going on here?" Ichigo demanded.

Isshin smacked his son on the back, hard, propelling him into Orihimes apartment. "None of your business Ichigo. Don't be late for dinner! And don't do anything to Orihime-chan!"

Ichigo sputtered, unable to form a reply before his family was out of sight. He felt the heat creeping up his neck and he stomped to the door to shut it, and give himself time to recover from his embarrassing father.

Orihime was still standing in shock in her living room when Ichigo closed the door and turned to her. She felt the blush on her face but could do nothing about it.

"Hello Kurosaki-kun."

"Hey. What were my old man and sister doing here?"

She opened her mouth to explain before closing it promptly. She couldn't refuse telling Kurosaki-san why Yuzu was there but she really don't want to tell Ichigo. Yuzu was already embarrassed enough, and it wasn't really a topic she wanted to discuss with him anyway. She turned her face to the side before hesitantly replying. "It...I just helped her with something that's all.

Ichigo could feel a tick beginning in his left eye. First she wouldn't tell him what was wrong with her and now she's lying about something going on with his family? Was she just lying to him before when she said she was in love with him? She never avoided talking about something with him before.

"Inoue."

She whipped her head around at his call. His tone of voice washing over her in angry waves. His eyes bored into hers and she could see the anger and frustration residing in them. She stepped back involuntarily at the look he was giving her.

"Why do you keep lying to me?"

Her shocked gasp rang out in the silent apartment. She didn't have to ask what he was referring to. He was still upset over the night she broke down after the hollow attack. It was on the tip of her tongue to explain everything just to get him to stop looking at her like that but she remembered her powers words. This was something she needed to realize herself. She **knew** he could tell her everything but for some reason he hadn't.

Wasn't he lying to her? In his refusal to answer anything about the final battle with Aizen he was essentially lying to her about that day. She wasn't mad about it but it was frustrating. He could answer all her questions but he refused to do so. What was so bad about that day? Was it truly so terrifying that he didn't want to hurt her with the details? Ichigo always protected her, even at the cost of his own body. Perhaps this time he was suffering with the memories so she wouldn't have to. That would be so like him. He didn't want to burden others with his troubles, like his hollow, so he carried the weight of his problems alone. Now it seemed he would carry hers as well.

She smiled softly at him. "I'm sorry. I really can't tell you about Yuzu-chan, she asked me not to." His frown deepend. "But, I'm sure your father will tell you if you ask. Yuzu-chan probably won't. It's embarrassing."

"What is?"

"Oh!" She said before rushing to the back of her apartment. He was about to follow but she returned quickly with a neat pile of folded clothes. "Here's her school uniform. Could you please give it back to her for me?"

"Why is her uniform here?"

"I washed it for her. There was a stain that needed to be removed quickly before it set in."

He took the clothes with a confused look on his face. Inoue had a slight blush to her face and she wouldn't meet his eyes. He looked back to the pile of clothes and suddenly realized maybe he didn't want to know why Yuzu had been there. He sighed heavily. Here he was being irritated and demanding answers of the gentle woman in front of him and she's helping out his family. He was starting to feel like an ass.

"Inoue, about the other night..."

"I'm sorry for that too." she interrupted him. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that, but I really am fine now."

"How could you be fine? You've cried before Inoue but you've never broken down like that!"

"You've just never seen me cry like that." she said softly. He was taken back by her statement and she smiled into his wide eyes. "I'm sorry you had to see it. I know it's bothered you but please, _please_ believe me Kurosaki-kun. I am fine now. It was difficult for me that night. I hadn't fought in so long, not since Hueco Mundo have I used my powers." she paused and Ichigo clenched his jaw tight so he wouldn't interrupt her. "That's all it was. I've been attacked again and had no problem dealing with the hollow so please believe me when I tell you I'm alright."

"You were attacked again? When? Were you alone? Did you get hurt?" Ichigo asked as he walked closer to her. Orihime felt her heartbeat speed up. He was looking over her body to check for injuries he wouldn't find. She felt warmth spread through her body at the worry in his gaze for her and the shortened distance between them. Even though she knew he was simply worried as a friend, she couldn't help her feelings nor her body's reaction.

"No I didn't get hurt, yes I was alone, and I'm fine. I took care of it without any problems. The first time was just hard for me. Thank you for being there for me that night. You have no idea how much it meant to me."

_I think I do know. _He thought to himself. He didn't realize he'd gotten so close to her but now, as he looked at her upturned face, her storm grey eyes shining at him with not a trace of the fear he saw that night, he couldn't help but to gaze at her beautiful face. Her hair had grown even longer since the end of the war. It hung over her shoulder, a curl beginning to form at the ends. If he reached out just a bit he could touch it.

Wait, what?

What the hell was he thinking?

He stepped back quickly, placing much needed distance between the two of them. He glanced at her face, seeing the questioning gaze she sent him and he rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think of what to say. He needed to get out of there. He didn't even know where that thought came from. It wasn't like him to think of touching some girls hair. Why the hell would he even want to? So what if it looked like it would be incredibly soft.

_Dammit. _He had to leave now! He was just thinking about her too much lately, that's all. _Worrying about her! Not thinking about her, worrying about her! _All this mess with her recovery after being kidnapped, after she broke down on him...how could he not worry. That's what he was doing. He wasn't _thinking_ about her...not like that.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

He looked at her once again. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she studied him. A cute pout was on her face.

_Cute? Son of a bitch._

"I...uh...I gotta go Inoue. Thanks for...whatever you helped my sister with. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He hasitly made his way to the door and forced himself not to look back as she replied.

"You're welcome Kurosaki-kun and thank you for worrying about me."

Nope, definetly not looking back.

* * *

The line at the consession stand was thankfully moving quickly. Everyone was trying to get their drinks and snacks before the next match began. Orihime hurried to get her money out of her pocket before her turn came up. She didn't want to miss a second of the tournament. It was not often that Tatsuki's matches were in town so she rarely got to come and support her friend. Since she had the opportunity this time, she wasn't going to waste a second.

Tatsuki was already ahead in the competition, having beaten three opponents already. The second round was about to start and she felt the excitement growing. It was too bad none of their other friends could come this weekend. She would have liked to have somone to sit with and talk to between matches but it didn't matter that much. As long as she could support her friend, and watch her kick butt, she was happy.

"Orihime-san?"

The healer turned around, searching for the person who called to her, only to be surprised to see Kurosaki Karin standing near with a group of boys.

"Karin-chan? How are you?"

"Good. Listen, could I talk to you for a second?"

"Umm...okay. Can you wait just a second? I wanna get my drink real quick."

"I can take care of that. Oi, Kei, stand in line for her and get her drink."

"Huh? Why me?" the young man asked.

Karin turned her fierce glare on him and he jumped in front of Orihime without any other questions. Karin turned to walk away as Orihime gave the child her money and thanked him profusely before following the young girl. When they rounded the corner and escaped the prying eyes of everyone else Karin turned to her. The girl kept her gaze downward and seemed hesitant to start.

"What is it Karin-chan?"

"I just...I..uh.." she planted her hands on her hips and sighed heavily. "I just wanted to thank you for talking to Yuzu...and...and getting that stuff for her."

Orihime smiled brightly at the child. "You're more than welcome Karin-chan. I was glad to be able to help her. That goes for you too as well you know."

Karin finally looked up to the healer and met her gaze. "Yeah, she told me you said that."

"I meant it. If you need to talk about anything please don't hesitate to call me."

Karin was surprised at the woman's honesty. She could find nothing in her gaze to indicate she was only saying this to be polite. Tatsuki always said Orihime was the sweetest person you could ever meet but Karin was skeptical. Most people would only do things for someone else if they got something out of it. Especially someone who looked like Orihime did; but this woman was obviously not like that. She helped Yuzu out when she didn't have to and was now extending her assistance to her. Yuzu told her everything Orihime explained but she still had a lot of questions. She was thinking about sneaking in to her dad's office and getting one of his medical books but she didn't know if that would answer everything. Yuzu told her Orihime didn't let her feel embarrassed about asking anything and didn't laugh at a single question she asked. Maybe she should talk to her too.

"Well, if its okay..."

"Of course it is." Orihime assured her.

"Okay, maybe I'll call you sometime soon?"

"Anytime is fine Karin-chan. Just leave me a message if I don't answer or text me. I may be at work sometimes so I don't have my phone on; but as soon as I get off I'll call you back. Oh, and I gave Yuzu-chan my number so you don't have to ask Kurosaki-kun for it."

Karin smiled back at her for that. She really didn't want to ask her brother for the woman's phone number and have him question her as to why she needed it. The girls returned to Karin's group of friends, only to see a new person standing with them. Karin recognized him as she had seen him once or twice. He was a friend of Royhei's brother.

"Hayashi-san! What are you doing here?" Orihime said as they reached the group.

"My friend's in this competition too, remember?" he said.

"Oh, that's right! I'm sorry, the blue men must have been messing with my brain again."

He chuckled at her and gave her the drink she wanted, as well as her money back. "I was standing in line when I saw Royhei-kun here. He's my friend's brother. He said you were off speaking to someone and I decided to wait for you. I needed a drink as well so I got you one too. I hope that's okay?"

"Of course Hayashi-san! But please take the money for it." she tried to give him the money back but he wouldn't accept it.

"It's my treat." he said with a smile.

Orihime blushed prettily and place the money back in her pocket. "If...if you're sure."

"I am. Are you here with your other friends?"

"No, no one else could make it this weekend."

"Oh, then could I join you? I'm here by myself as well."

"Of course!" Orihime didn't want him to be alone either and now she would have someone to talk to between the matches.

"Thank you. We should hurry up and find a seat then. The matches are about to start again."

"Okay. Bye Karin-chan." Orihime waved to the girl and walked off with Hayashi.

Karin watched them leave, taking notice when Hayashi laughed heartily at something the young woman said.

"I thought he said he came with a group of friends." Kei said.

Karin turned to him. "He's not alone?"

"No, but I would've said I was alone too." Kei answered. "She's so beautiful."

Karin narrowed her eyes at the boy before turning to her other friend. "Royhei, what's he like?"

"He's a good guy Kurosaki. I promise. He's been friends with my brother a long time so I know him pretty well. He's always polite and very nice."

"Yeah, but people act differently around their friends' families." she said.

"No I mean he's always like that. I've went to festivals and the beach with Masaru before. He really is a nice guy. Oh, that was the bell come on or will miss my brother's next match!"

Karin ran along with her friends to find their seats but she couldn't help thinking about Orihime. She remembered the way Ichigo looked when she first walked into the hospital room Orihime was in when she was hurt. He had been gazing at her with such an intense look on his face. They had been pretty close friends for a while now and she even saw him walking her home a few times. She wasn't sure what was going on between Ichigo and Orihime but it was pretty obvious Hayashi was interested in the woman. Who wouldn't be? She even made the remark to her family that she wouldn't be shocked until Ichigo brought home someone like her.

She turned her attention back to the match. Maybe she would just have to let her brother know who she saw at the tournament.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

**A/N:**

**Royhei and Kei are two of the group of friends Karin has in the manga/anime. I couldn't find any information on their families so I made Hayashi's friend Royhei's brother as it was necessary for the story line. **

**To my male readers, SORRY! I tried to make the talk about Yuzu starting her...well...you know, as painless as possible. God knows you all can't stand to hear about that! **

**Once again, it was necessary for the story line. I wanted to show a familiarity beginning with the twins and Orihime. They know each other but only on name basis in the manga. I felt this was a good way to have them all bond on a much deeper level. Also, the girls would be the age where they should be...yeah, and without a mother figure around they would need someone to talk to about everything. Orihime seems like a great candidate to me!**

**...Although, I could be biast. **

**Enjoy and review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Finally got another chapter ready for your enjoyment! (Well, hopefully you'll enjoy it.) **

**I want to take a moment to thank all the people who have reviewed my story. I can't express how much I appreciate your wonderful feedback and I ask...no, beg...that you would continue to do so. I love hearing what you think of each chapter, even if it isn't positive. **

**Nypsy, ninetalehollow, nisey610, Orange Drops, PuiNikkiShowRon, chuchootrain, Zanbandia, XtremeGal87...just a few of the people who I want to thank whole hearted for sticking with this story so far. Forgive me if I didn't put your name up but know I truly appreciate your support. **

**Anywho...on to the story!**

* * *

_**-May-**_

"I gotta get something from my locker before class starts. See you in class." Ishida said as he stood to leave the roof. Sado stood and joined him without comment, leaving Ichigo and Orihime alone on the roof with the remaining ten minutes left for lunch. He turned his head to look at the healer. She was sitting against the fencing that ran along the roof, head tilted back with a slight smile on her face as the wind gently played with her hair. There was no way he could deny how utterly beautiful she looked in that moment. He shifted slightly against the wall he was leaning against and tried to force his mind in another direction.

"Isn't this nice Kurosaki-kun?" her melodious voice rang out. "To be able to feel the sun warming your face? The wind caressing your skin?"

_Caressing? Is that really a word she had to use right now?_

Ichigo watched her part her eyes ever so slowly to look at him and his heart sped up in reaction. He couldn't think of anything to say; his mind was stuck on processing the beautiful image she presented.

"Oh, I wonder if Tatsuki-chan is still down there with the rest of the girls?" she said before turning around on her knees to survey the ground below them.

Now, this wouldn't have been a problem if she would have just turned around normally, but of course, with the luck Ichigo had, that wasn't the case. No...she turned around and knelt on her hands and knees looking for her friend. The backs of her thighs now presented themselves for Ichigo's persual. He tried to stop himself, really he did, because he wasn't a pervert like some of his peers were. This time he was helpless to stop himself.

Her milk white skin beckoned his eyes to roam their surface. He was slow in his persual. He was giving in to his hormones and, as if this would be the last time, he took his time in enjoying the flesh presented to him. His eyes started at the backs of her knees and slowly worked their way up to her barely covered bottom. Not a blemish marked the alabaster flesh and he had to clench his fists against the onslaught of inappropiate thoughts he had.

_What would her skin taste like? What would her thighs fell like wrapped around me?_

He nearly groaned aloud in frustration.

His torment was far from over. A gust of wind blew across the rooftop and her skirt flew up for a moment. That single moment was all it took for him to get a full glimpse of her bright red panties barely covering her most intimate parts. Ichigo shut his eyes tightly and banged his head against the wall. The pain registered with him but it wasn't enough to halt the flow of blood that was rapidly traveling south. He tried to take some calm, deep breaths in hopes he could cool his body down.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

He cracked his eyes open to see her bending over his still form. He stubbornly held her gaze, not wanting to get caught staring at her breasts.

"We should probably get going. Come on." she held her small out for him to grasp.

It probably wasn't a good idea to make contact with her but he couldn't help but to grasp the warm hand she held out for him.

Once again the kami set out to torture him. Her foot collided with his and instead of helping him up, she stumbled forward and fell against him. Her body pushed his backwards and he hit his head rather hard against the wall. It took a few seconds for the dizziness to wear off. When he was able to see again properly, he found his vision obscured by a head of bright auburn hair. When Inoue fell, she landed in his lap; her long legs were staddling his thighs and her hands were gripping the front of his shirt.

This was not a good situtation for him right now! He had just barely cooled himself down after leering at her for the past few moments. Feeling the muscles of her thighs clenching against his was causing his problem to rise once again. A muffled groan brought his eyes down to watch her face tilt upwards. She blinked in confusion for a moment before understanding lit her eyes.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry Kurosaki-kun. Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine Inoue. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Are you sure you're okay? You must have hit your head on the wall."

"Just a little but I'm okay."

"Oh my. I'm so sorry." she bit her lip softly as her worried gaze held his. "Let me check it for you."

"Huh?" was all he could say as she rose higher on her knees and leaned towards him. Her hands traveled up his chest towards his head. A shudder went through his body at the feel of her hands on him. Her fingers gently combed through his orange locks, probing the back of his head.

"I think you've got a little lump here." her voice whispered against his ear. He had zoned out at some point but her voice brought him back to reality. His eyes widened considerably as he saw he was only inches from her abundant chest. In her efforts to reach the back of his head she had to rise up on her knees, placing him face to face with the objects of many a man's fantasies. Her school shirt was drawn tight across her chest. Each breath she took caused the mounds in front of him to rise and fall gently.

He was transfixed.

Her fingers still ran across his scalp and his skin tingled. Being so close to her, her scent washed over him leaving him breathless. Every movement she made seemed to be so slow and deliberate. Her hand left his scalp, trailing down his neck before coming to rest on his shoulders. She sat back, brushing her bottom against the now quite large bulge in his pants and he hissed in pleasure. His hands came up to grip her hips, and hopefully hold her still before he did something to embarrass himself horribly.

"Kurosaki-kun, are you alright?"

He reluctantly opened his eyes. Her face was still so close to his own. Shineing grey eyes filled with worry for him bored into his. His gaze fell to her lips and for the life of him he couldn't stop his next action. He felt her stiffen for just a moment as he brushed his lips against her own. Kami, she was so soft! His lips moved gently across hers, tracing the skin and burning its memory into his brain. He allowed his tongue to trace her bottom lip and he could faintly taste the apple she ate for lunch clinging to her skin. She moaned in appreciation and the sound snapped him out of his stupor. He pulled back abruptly, his breathing harsh.

What was he doing? What the hell had gotten into him?

He was just about to apologize when she rushed in to crush her lips against his. "Don't" she whispered aginst his lips. "I want this." She said in between kisses.

Who was he to deny the woman?

His grip on her hips tightened as he pulled her body closer to his. Her breasts crushed against his chest as her heat brushed against his own. They both moaned at the delicious contact. He felt her hands quickly unbuttoning his shirt before slipping inside to run her palms over his chest. It was unlike anything he'd ever imagined.

The feel of her warm skin running over his sent tiny electric shocks over his entire body. It was addicting and he already craved more. His hands left their perch on her hips to slip under her school shirt. His fingers traced paths across the smooth expanse of her stomach and back producing little mewls from the woman. The sounds only excited him further and his tongue plunged into her mouth. Over and over again he dominated her mouth; taking from her until she was clinging to him, utterly submissive in every way.

His mouth left hers and made its way across her neck and shoulder. The sweet taste of her skin was now permanetly seared into his brain but it didn't stop him from wanting more. He latched onto her pulse point, biting down enough to leave a mark but not break the skin and she rolled her hips against his in pleasure.

"Ichigo." she moaned loudly as his hands finally cupped her breasts. Kami, he loved the way his name sounded rolling off her tongue. He squeezed her breasts gently and she bucked her hips again. This time he was the one who moaned as she pressed against his hard length. Her head rested on his shoulder and he could feel her harsh breathing.

"I want you so badly right now." he admitted before running his tongue along the shell of her ear. She whimpered before running kisses along his neck.

"Please." she whispered. He pulled her back up to kiss her fiercly. He could feel the desperate need behind her kisses and knew his were just the same. She pulled back once again; framing his face between her hands.

"I love you Ichigo."

Just as he was running his hands up her thighs, the school bell rang.

He sat up quickly. Afraid he had injured the healer he looked down but was suddenly confused. Inoue wasn't around. He wasn't on the rooftop.

He was in his bed and it was still dark. The ringing persisted as he looked around for it's source. His shinigami badge sat on the beside table blaring _hollow_ over and over. Disgruntled, he grabbed it, but before he could press it to his chest it suddenly stopped. The representative for the town must have taken care of the hollow.

Sleep clouded his mind for a moment more before images of Inoue's face, flushed with desire, raced through his brain.

"Sonofabitch" he muttered harshly, keeping his sleeping family in mind, before throwing back his covers and pacing his bedroom floor.

"A dream, it was a fucking dream." He violently ripped his shirt off that was covered in sweat and threw it across the room, never stopping his frantic pacing. He just had the most vivid dream he could ever remember having and it was an erotic dream about his friend!

He was pissed. Pissed at himself for dreaming something like that. He wasn't a pervert. Sure, he was a guy and couldn't help but appreciate a beautiful woman now and then, but he wasn't some sex crazed idiot like some guys...and Keigo...and his father.

"Damn it." he hissed again. He was almost fully hard and all from a fucking dream! What the hell? He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He knew what brought the dream about. The morning before, in school, he was walking behind Tatsuki and Inoue as they climbed the stairs. He lagged behind for a moment to answer a question posed to him by another classmate. When he turned around to continue on he saw Inoue drop something. She bent over to pick it up and he accidently caught a glimpse of her underwear; which were indeed red at the time. Of course, he quickly averted his gaze but the damage had been done. Several times throughout the day his mind replayed the scence and by the time the bell rung ending the day, he was both exhausted and wired. A weird feeling to be sure.

"Fine...fine...shit, I admit it okay? I'm fucking attratced to her." He muttered to himself in his empty, silent room. Thankfully Kon was still in his sisters room. "She's gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous really. I'd have to be dead to not be attracted to her." That thought stopped him. More than once he'd caught several shinigami in Soul Society staring at her.

Okay, so maybe even being dead wouldn't stop an attraction to Inoue.

Ichigo slumped down on his bed, burying his face in his hands. So he admitted he was attracted to her. Now what?

_Nothing, that's what_, he answered himself as he layed back on the bed. _It's just a physical attraction, it doesn't change anything. Just because I'm attracted to her doesn't mean I have feelings for her. _

His shinigami badge went off again and this time he rushed to grab it and press it to his chest. He threw his body back into bed as he rushed out his window. A good fight was just what he needed then.

* * *

Orihime kept her arms pulled tightly to her body as she stayed huddled as close to the wall as she could. She knew Golden Week always brought a crowd of tourists to the major cities of Japan but having never actually went to any of the festivities before, she was quite unprepared for the sheer mass of people around her. All of her friends got tickets for the movie they would see soon days before hand and agreed to meet in front of the theater thirty minutes before the show would start. After the movie, the would get dinner at one of the local restaurants then travel to a nearby park and watch the firework festival.

All of this sounded like a good idea at the time; but now, as she struggled to stay out of the way of the massive crowd, she was re-thinking her decision. Perhaps she should have waited and rode the train with one of her friends? Tatsuki had some things to do with her family that day so she didn't want to intrude on her. She was sure Ichigo would have ridden with her but she didn't want to be a bother. Although she would now admit his presence would have at least kept all the perverts at bay. More than once she had slapped someone's hand away that was attempting to grope her on the ride over.

_At least I didn't bring a purse today. Keeping hold of that would have probably been impossible!_

She instead opted to wear a pair of jeans so she could keep her money and keys in her pockets. She shivered slightly as a strong breeze came through, causing goosebumps to rise on her naked shoulders. The off the shoulder peasant style top was cute on her figure and she couldn't help but wear it today. She was going to the movies with Kurosaki-kun!

Okay, so her friends were coming too and they were going as a group but she would secretly think of this as a date. She took what little happiness she could sometimes, even if she was deluding herself.

"Inoue-san?"

The owner of the voice was hidden behind a group of people shoving their way past. She waited patiently and was surprised to see Hayashi walk up to her after they passed.

"Hayashi-san, what are you doing here?"

He came to rest beside her on the wall. "Some of my friends and I came to see the movie. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, the same. I'm excited to see it. All the reviews have been great. I hope it's as funny as they say."

"So do I. Umm...where are your friends?"

She smiled slightly. "Oh, they'll be here soon. We aren't supposed to meet up for a few minutes more anyway."

"Oh." He scanned the crowd around them before looking down at her again. "I was wondering if it...if it isn't too inappropiate, I would really like it if you would call me Masaru."

Orihime adopted a deer in the headlights expression for a couple of seconds before she found her voice again. "Oh...ummm...n-no I don't think that's inappropiate."

He grinned boyishly. "Great!"

Orihime laughed at his enthusiasm. "If I'm going to call you Masaru-san then you have to call me Orihime. It wouldn't be fair otherwise."

"That would make me very happy, Orihime-chan."

A light blush covered her face as he said her name. Maybe she was just imaging it but his voice seemed to dip a bit lower as he called her name.

"Now I wish I would have asked you what you were doing during Golden Week. We might have been able to do something." he said.

"Sorry about that Masaru-san. I didn't even think to ask you either and now it's the end of the activities and we can't do anything. Oh goodness, you must think I'm so rude! I'm so sorry, I understand if you don't want..."

"Orihime-chan." Masaru said as he grabbed her shoulder lightly. He didn't want to push things with the incredibly sweet woman but he couldn't stop himself from rubbing his thumb along her silky flesh. "There's no need to apologize. We just missed the opportunity this time."

"Really?" she asked as she looked up at his eyes.

"Really. Maybe we could make up for it though. We could always get together at another time?"

"Of cour..."

"I'm not late am I Inoue?"

She gasped at the deep sound of Ichigo's voice. She turned to look over her shoulder and found him standing very close to her back. He wasn't looking at her, however; once again he was staring at Masaru-san. She was getting the impression that he didn't like her new friend for some reason.

"Of course not Kurosaki-kun. You're right on time actually!"

He finally looked down to the healer and graced her with a small smile, hoping she wouldn't notice how pissed off he was. He turned his attention to the hand the _bastard_ had on her shoulder, willing it to go up in flames or just fall off. He locked eyes with the dark haired man once again and stared back at him with all the anger he felt until he removed his hand from her shoulder. The counterpart he housed within his soul began to twist and stretch with the intense anger Ichigo felt. Unwilling to start a fight on such a busy street, nor to release his rising reiatsu when someone around could possibly feel it, he grabbed Inoue's elbow and pulled her closer to himself. Thankfully, the crowd closed in on them for a moment so he used that as an excuse to cover his actions. He didn't need her to know he **had** to have her closer at that time or else he would have given in and let his hollow rip the soccer player to shreds like he desperately wanted to.

"Well, I guess since your friends are showing up I'll leave you now. I hope you have a fun day, Orihime-chan."

A muscle in Ichigo's face visibly twitched.

"You too. See you later Masaru-san."

Ichigo tightened his hold on her elbow.

"Kurosaki-kun, is something wrong?"

He refused to look down at her worried face. He took a stance against the wall as they continued to wait for the rest of their friends. His arms were tightly crossed over his chest and the scowl that normally graced his face was deeper than ever. _Orihime? Masaru?_ Since when did the two of them get to be so fucking close? Not three months ago she barely knew the pricks name and now she was giving him free range to drop all formalities? She was even calling him by his first name!

He had known her for years. They had been through so much shit together and she **still** called him Kurosaki! She even called Toshiro by his frist name but did he get the same respect, hell no. Oh this just pissed him off beyond all reason. Never, never had he been mad at her. She was so kind and so gentle she just didn't draw that reaction out of people but he could honestly say for the first time since he has ever known her at he was mad at her.

And what could he possibly do about it?

It wasn't like he could fight her, like he did with Renji and Ishida when he was mad at them.

He couldn't yell at her like he did with Tatsuki or Rukia.

"Kurosaki-kun, what are you so upset about?"

Since he couldn't use his fists or yell he just continued to lean against the builiding and keep his face turned away from the healer. Ignoring her right now was the only thing he could do until his temper subsided. What on earth would he possibly have to do to get her to call him Ichigo? He's fucking bled for her time and time again. He basically told Soul Society to go to hell and raced into Hueco Mundo after her. Shit, he fucking _died_ for the girl and he still gets called Kurosaki?

A sniffle from her direction stopped his internal rant.

He wanted to ignore it. Oh, he wanted to ignore it so bad but...he just couldn't. There was no way he could turn his back on her tears no matter how mad he was at her.

"What is it?" he asked; doing his best to keep the anger out of his voice. She had her head turned away but slowly turned to face him when he spoke to her.

"I j-just d-don't know what I did to...make you mad at me." her soft voice replied.

He sighed heavily. He thought he was doing a good job of keeping his anger hidden but apparently not. Great, now he upset her. He didn't want to see her crying, he absolutely hated it when she cried. Not to mention if he didn't fix it before Tatsuki came along he could probably kiss his balls goodbye.

"I'm not..."

"Yes you are." she stubbornly interrupted.

"Fine, yeah I'm mad."

"But why? What did I do?"

Her tear stained face pulled at his heart painfully. She was so upset and all because he was mad at her. Damn, he could never get anything right with this woman. He could feel his anger dissapating.

"Please tell me so I can fix it." she emplored.

He ran his hand along his face as he tried to find the most gentle way he could think of to approach this subject. "Why are you calling that guy by his first name?"

She tilted her head to the side and just stared at him. Her confusion was evident. "Eh?"

"That guy, you barely even know him but you dropped all formalities with him...why?"

"Masaru-san? 'Cause he asked me to."

"What?" Ichigo replied dumbfounded.

"Yeah, he asked me if it would be okay to call him by Masaru. I had to do the same cause that's only polite."

It took a few seconds for Ichigo's brain to cool down where he could form sentences again. "He asked you to?"

"Yes. Why does that upset you so much Kurosaki-kun?"

Hearing _Kurosaki-kun_ out of her mouth again was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. "Because we've know each other for years now and after all the shit that we've been through together you **still** call me Kurosaki! You know this guy for a couple of months and you're already calling him by his first name! Don't you find that a little fucked up?"

Orihime took a step back when he started yelling. She knew Ichigo would never, ever hurt her but it was an instinctive move in response to the anger he was letting out. "I...I'm sorry."

Ichigo stopped his rant and forced himself to calm down this time. He cursed himself heavily. He yelled at her; something he never wanted to do but he was overwhelmed with anger at that moment. Kami, if only that guy had stuck around a little longer, he could have vented his anger on him and not the innocent woman in front of him. He hung his head under the shame of his own actions. "I just..."

"You still call me Inoue."

His head snapped up at her statement. She forced herself to hold his intense gaze.

And just like that all the anger he felt at her washed out of his system leaving behind an onslaught of guilt. She was right; he did still call her Inoue. How could he get mad at her when he had never dropped the formalities that layed between them.

Could he act like more of a bastard than he already had?

It probably didn't help that he had been on edge for the past couple of days concerning _that guy. _At breakfast one morning, Karin had, not so subtly, brought up the karate tournament and who she just so happened to see there. He didn't go to watch Tatsuki win, which he knew she would, he instead decided to sleep in and lounge around the house that day. Apparently in his absence _that guy_ decided to try and get closer to Inoue. Unfortunately, it look like he had. Once again he had no one to place blame on but himself. He should have just went to the damn tournament so he could have kept an eye on Inoue. He knew exactly what this bastard was after and he'd be damned if he let him get to her.

"I'm sorry." He finally said to her. "You're right. I just..." he absently rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess it's just that I've been calling you Inoue for so long I didn't think about it. I know it's probably the same for you and I had no right to fly off the handle like that. I'm really sorry."

She watched him for a second. His regret was plain to see in his eyes and his shoulders slumped slightly with his apology. It hurt so much at first when she realized he was ignoring her. That the anger she could feel radiating off him was directed at her. Of course she already forgave him...but since he was the one to bring it up, and to get so mad over her calling someone else by there given name, perhaps she could vent a little on the same subject. She crossed her arms under her chest and turned her face away from him; not fast enough to miss the look of shock and hurt that came to his face. She forced herself not to immedialely reassure him she wasn't upset with him or else she'd never be able to say what she wanted.

"You've always called Kuchiki-san Rukia."

Had he not been so focused on her he would have missed it. He was just about to plead with her to forgive him when she made that statement. Though her face was turned to the side he could still see the cute pout she wore. Knowing her feelings like he did he knew she was...jealous? A rush of happiness went through him for some reason and made him smile at her. For once he wasn't slow to process the reason behind her statement. At least this he could clear up easily.

"And I call my sisters by their first names too. What's your point?"

Orihime had to physically stop herself from squealing. Was he seriously telling her he didn't think of Kuchiki-san as anything more than a sister figure? There was no other way to interpert his words and the tone of voice he used. Just hearing it made a knot she carried around in her for the past year release. She slowly turned her face back towards his.

"So, it wouldn't bother you if I called you Ichigo-kun?" she asked with hope filled eyes.

"Of course not...Orihime."

* * *

He was being punished.

He knew he deserved it. Raising your voice to the sweetest woman in the world was sure to bring devine retribution down upon anyones head; he just wished they would have sent his punishment in the form of a menos...or twenty.

Sitting next to her warm body, in the darkened movie theater, when she was wearing a shirt that fell off her shoulders and gave him the most incredible view of her cleavage was the worst form of torture alive.

"Do you want some more popcorn Ichigo-kun?"

Scratch that...having her whisper dangerously close to his ear, that was oh so reminicent of a certain dream of his, name included, was the worst torture.

He knew now that Ishida was on to his problem. The moment everyone showed up and heard them calling each other by their given names caused many an eyebrow to be raised. Ishida, however, continued to watch the pair. Orihime was oblivious to this but Ichigo was well aware of the Quincy's stares. Once he reached down to get popcorn from the bowl she held and he caught a whiff of her perfume. She smelled fainlty of lilacs, and it drove him insane. Before he knew it he was leaning much furthur, definetly invading her personal space, before he caught himself and sat upright once again. He saw the Quincy watching him from the corner of his eye and knew he had seen everything.

Damn, he had to get his hormones under control. Orihime was his friend, nothing more, therefore he didn't have the right to keep thinking about her this way.

**"Weakling."**

He ignored his hollow and concentrated until he pushed the white bastard back into his cage.

The movie was funny, what he saw of it anyway. He would be doing fine, paying attention to the movie when her leg would accidently brush against his. Immediately, his attention would be shot to hell as he tried to ignore the pleasurable feeling of her body against his. No matter if it was clothed.

Dinner in the restaurant was no better. The food was good, but not enough to distract him from watching her lips purse around the ramen noodles she ordered and suck them in. Everytime she did it he felt something in his gut pull and he was forced to think of Hachi in a bikini to distract his suddenly perverted mind. Of course everyone had to order dessert. Ichigo wasn't even sure of what he was eating anymore. He just said the first thing he saw on the menu and ate whatever was put in front of him. None of it had any taste anyway.

Orihime ordered some type of chocolate cake. He was okay with that. He had no problem finally focusing on the conversation around him and was even able to start talking about a concert that was supposed to come around in a few months. Chado was a fan of the band like he was and they were thinking about going. Tatsuki asked Orihime if she wanted to try her ice cream she ordered and that was when things went south for the substitue. He didn't know if he turned around to watch the scene fully or if he just caught it in his peripheral vision. What he did remember was not being able to contain the groan that escaped his throat as he watched her lean over and wrap her lips around the spoon her best friend held out for her. He saw Ishida's eyebrow lift at that and he knew damn good and well the Quincy caught it.

He tried, he really, really tried to stay away from her on the train ride to the park. No such luck as the train was soon filled to the brim and everyone was packed together like sardines. He saw the male passengers surrounding her eye her like a piece of meat so he did the only thing he could. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and pulled her back into his chest. He then turned them around so she was facing the wall and he had his back to the crowd. She was protected; that was all that mattered.

Too bad she might need protection from him.

There was no helping the situtation. Nothing could be done about it now, so Ichigo closed his eyes and gave in. Her body felt so incredibly _right_ in his arms. There was no room for any extra space between them so every curve the woman had, and dear kami did she have them, was pressed so tightly against his own. Her smell invaded his senses, reeking havoc inside his mind. Only when she placed her smooth hand on his own and softly spoke was he able to calm down slightly.

"Thank you Ichigo-kun."

He smiled into the back of her hair. He had been half expecting her to stiffen up and question him as to what he was doing. Even as innocent as she was, she seemed to understand the potential danger she faced. It was probable that she had this problem many times before. Perhaps he would have to start riding the train with her.

He was almost reluctant to release her when they arrived at their stop. While he'd been in close proximity to Orihime many times before, in one instance had her slung over his shoulder, he'd never held her that way before. It was nice. Never one for much physical contact with others, the fact that he wanted Orihime to stay nestled so close to him was very puzzling to the bright haired man. Especially since the inappropiate thoughts had stopped after she thanked him. Nevertheless, he had to let her go as they exited the train and made their way across the park. Tatsuki and Orihime ran ahead to find a good spot to watch the fireworks.

He felt the smile on his face as he watched the healer argue with her best friend about where to sit. Finally, after much pleading and pouting on Orihime's behalf, the group settled on a small hill away from the majority of the crowd to watch the display that would begin soon.

"I'm glad we did this." Tatsuki said.

"Me too! It's been such a fun day." came from Orihime.

"Very true, which is surprising in and of itself considering we have Kurosaki with us."

"Just what the hell is that supposed to mean Ishida?"

"Come now, surely you realize the majority of the time when we get together a hollow appears."

"And you're blaming me for that how?"

"You're lack of control over your reiatsu. Baka."

"You arrogant little..."

"Boys, boys." Orihime got their attention. "Can we not do this? It's been such a wonderful day and besides, the fireworks are gonna start soon. It's already dark."

The pair grumbled their disagreement but dropped the arguement. Ichigo scooted forward a bit so he sat next to Orihime, and away from the Quincy who loved to irritate him. The friends chatted idly a bit more before fireworks lit up the sky with a loud bang that stopped all conversation. Ichigo wasn't as fascinated by the display as he knew the woman beside him was. He turned to watch her instead.

Her eyes were lit with wonder as the colors made their mark across the sky. Little sounds of appreciation escaped her throat and she had her hands clasped to her chest. He didn't realize how much he would enjoy hanging out with her like he did. Previously, most of the time they spent together was fighting hollows or some other spirit being trying to create distruction.

Sure, she could be a little spacey sometimes, but that seemed to fit her perfectly. It continued to give her a delicate innocence that, with everything she had been through, should have long since been gone. He was amazed at how she could still be so caring and loving, even with everything she'd seen. That was what was so special about her though. Her ability to continue to see the good in things regardless of the hate she'd been subjected to in her life. Even with him.

He'd never put out a 'friendly' image to anyone. He made sure everyone thought, well knew, he was a badass who wasn't gonna take shit from anyone. He'd had enough to deal with concerning his hair color anyway. Besides that, she'd befriended him even before they had been tossed together with the awakening of their powers. Even after seeing him in his fully hollowfied state, knowing there was an evil that lived within him, she continued to stand by his side and support him. He was in awe of how much love she held in her heart.

Would it be so wrong...

"Don't you think it's wonderful Ichigo?" she whispered.

He stared at the amazing woman a moment before answering.

"I think I'm beginning to."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: My muse for this story is in full bloom so, even with everything I have going on, I am proud to bring you another chapter so quickly. **

**I hope you enjoy it and please review! I appreciate all your feedback!**

**-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-**

* * *

**-June-**

Ichigo allowed his head to rest on the shower wall as the cooling water ran over his tense muscles. This was getting to be an almost daily occurrence. Nearly every night he was assaulted with the most intense, erotic dreams about a certain auburn haired woman that, when he awoke, he found himself to be in a painful state. He refused to do something so base as to _relieve_ himself. Which is why, once again, he found himself willing his body to relax under the cool waters.

Honestly, he didn't know how much longer he could stand this. It was getting to where if he even saw Orihime in class he felt the beginnings of a blush creeping on his face. He found himself, more often than not, watching her during class. He learned that when she was concentrating, she would softly bite her bottom lip before running her pink tongue over the offended flesh. More than once, he had to pinch himself painfully to distract his body from wanting to respond to the innocent yet erotic picture she presented.

Why now? Why now after all that he'd been through did his body suddenly decide to release his hormones in a torrential wave? He'd seen Yoruichi naked, unwittingly, but still, he saw her. She had a flawless toned body from her years of training and fighting. He would admit that she was very attractive but still the sight of her didn't cause his blood to heat and rush though out his body. Why was it that even _thinking_ about Orihime cause a stirring below his belt?

He shut the water off with a heavy sigh and proceeded to get dressed. No matter how many times he'd asked himself the same questions he still didn't have any answers. He was feeling more than a little frustrated by these new events but he'd a least learned a little patience in the past year or so. Eventually, he would understand what it all meant. For now, he continued to push it to the back of his mind and tried to focus on school.

It was still early in the Kurosaki household so he wasn't surprised to find only his father sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. He poured himself a cup from the pot and leaned against the counter. His father had yet to say anything to him and that in and of itself was odd. When he finally did look up at him, the weird teasing glint to his eye made Ichigo more nervous than anything. If his father wasn't being extraordinarily serious or goofy to the point that it was embarrassing he didn't know how to handle it. This odd gleam in his eye had all of Ichigo's warning sensors going off. Too bad he didn't get out while he could.

"Morning son. You're up awfully early...again." His father spoke to him over the top of his newspaper. Though he still held the paper up, Ichigo could see the smirk on his old man's face.

_Oh dear kami no...no, no, no, no, no. Please tell me doesn't know...of course not! There's no way the man could possibly know what I've been dreaming about. That would be...impossible. Just calm down. You're getting worked up over nothing._

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep." Ichigo replied with what, he desperately hoped, was a nonchalant tone.

"Mmm...dreams keeping you up at night?"

_**He knows**__...no, wait...shit...I think I'm gonna throw up._

"Uh, no, no nothing like that. Just trouble sleeping that's all." Ichigo tried to calmly reply and took a drink of his coffee.

He heard his father sigh heavily behind the newspaper. "Ichigo my boy. You'll just never learn will you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" his temper spiking with that statement.

"You do realize you can't hide anything from me don't you?" Isshin looked at him once again. "You never were hiding anything about becoming a shinigami you know. I knew the entire time, I just didn't say anything. Oh, and I've known about your hollow the entire time as well."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

Isshin hid his face behind the newspaper once again. "Since when did you start liking cold showers?"

_A hollow...a menos...Arrancar...Aizen coming back from the dead...something, any fucking thing right now will do. Just please show up and get me out of this kitchen!_

"I...I...it's hot okay! I just..."

Isshin's laughter cut him off. Not the usual booming laughter he normally had that annoyed Ichigo; this was more of a chuckle really. For some reason, Ichigo hated this sound even more.

"Calm down son. Geez, you think you're the first man to ever have to take a cold shower after a dream?"

Ichigo couldn't say anything. He just stared at his father, jaw dropped and more than a little red in the face from the uncomfortable conversation they were having.

Isshin folded the paper and placed it on the table before facing his son fully.

"Hell, I'm just glad your repressed hormones are finally starting to kick in. You had me worried for a while."

"Who are you calling repressed?" Ichigo shouted. It was the only word he could focus on to lash out his anger.

"Are they about Orihime-chan?"

Once again Ichigo felt the heat rising to his face and he could only look away from his father in response.

"Thought so. You two seem to be getting closer from what I can tell. The conversation at the table normally draws her name into it in some fashion." Ichigo continued to look away from his father, refusing to admit to any of the embarrassing things his old man was saying. He heard Isshin sigh again. "How do you feel about her?"

Ichigo stubbornly refused to speak to his father right then. How dare he embarrass him like this and then expect him to talk to him?

"Look, I'm just asking you if you care about her or if you're just interested in sleeping with her?"

Ichigo felt the tenuous hold over his temper slipping. "Of course I care about her." he hissed at his father. "I've told you before she's an important friend of mine. But forget that, do you even know me at all? How could you even think that I'd be like that?"

"Ichigo." The stern tone his father had was enough to make him pause for a moment. "Of course I know your personality but I'm also not a fool. I love your mother more than anything in this world or the next but regardless of my age," a topic Ichigo really didn't want to talk about considering his father was a shinigami, "I have not forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. You're turning 16 this year and I know all to well what that phase of my life was like. Granted, it was much different than what yours will be", once again getting to close to areas Ichigo would rather avoid forever, "but the same principles apply."

"Oh for the love of...why are we even having this embarrassing conversation? Can't you just leave me alone for once old man! Besides, aren't you, as my fucking father, supposed to be telling me not to go around having s...se...ya know." _Damn, fight to the death in another world, no problem; talk about sex with my father...or anyone for that matter, not possible._

"Since when have I ever told you not to do something? You've always done what was right and have been responsible without me telling you to do so. Well, except for fighting that is. You've been getting into fights for years."

"Whatever." Ichigo mumbled. Slightly embarrassed at his father's praise.

His father smiled softly. "I will always be hear to listen to your problems or give advice if you need it, though I doubt you'd come and ask me anything. But the day you accepted the responsibility that came with weilding Zangetsu, you stopped being a child." His words touched Ichigo's heart and for once made him feel much more connected to the normally goofy parent. "Just do me a favor and be safe okay?"

"Thanks dad." Ichigo whispered in return. Isshin stood from the table and made to leave the kitchen. He paused as he reached the door, turning his head slightly to address Ichigo once again.

"Just so you know, I really like Orihime-chan. She's an amazing woman."

Ichigo turned to look out the window and finish his coffee. His father's words rolling throughout his mind. He was still horribly embarrassed by the entire situtation, but he couldn't deny he felt just a little better at hearing his father's words.

And just maybe, the fact that his father liked Orihime pleased him.

Not that he'd ever say it out loud.

* * *

"Good morning Ichigo-kun!"

Ichigo waved to the cheerful beauty as she entered the classroom. His mind, thankfully, winning the war over his body to keep the flush from his face. The words from his 'discussion' with his father that morning unfortunately still rolled around his head. He was determined to forget that conversation ever happened. Keigo jumped on his back prompting the substitute to throw him to the ground. His whining drew Mizuro over and the guys began talking before class.

"Orihime."

"Good morning Tatsuki-chan."

"Hey, have you decided what you wanted to do this weekend?"

The woman tilted her head to the side and adopted a cute pout as she thought. "No. Since I'm not working this weekend and we don't have any tests to study for I definitely want to hang out with you though." she whined.

"Don't worry 'Hime. We can decide later."

Someone walked by the classroom drawing Orihime's attention and a thought struck her.

"Hey Tatsuki-chan? Would you mind if I invited someone else as well?"

The raven haired fighter was surprised her friend would have someone else in mind she wanted to hang out with, but quickly got over her confusion as she was sure Orihime was referring to Ichigo. "Of course not."

Her friend adopted a large smile as she stood up abruptly. "Great. Excuse me for just a second."

Tatsuki could only stare as Orihime ran, not to Ichigo's desk, but out of the classroom. She got up and soon followed the auburn girl to see who she went to find.

"Masaru-san!" Orihime yelled as she ran after his retreating figure. She didn't realize she had gotten that close to him and was unable to stop herself in time from running into him. Masaru heard her call and turned around just as she hit his body. He was able to stay upright and grabbed the girl's shoulders to steady her.

"Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry Masaru-san." she said as she pulled away from his chest. A blush adorned her face and Masaru couldn't help but to smile at her cute reaction.

"It's no problem Orihime-chan. What's up?"

"Oh right. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me and Tatsuki-chan this Saturday. I know you said we could hang out sometime after Golden Week but it's just been so busy with school and work lately. Oh, I hope you don't think I'm being too pushy or anything." Orihime said as she noticed his expression.

"No, no nothing like that Orihime-chan. It's just that I have a match this Saturday."

"Match?"

"Yeah, a soccer match. We have a game this Saturday so I don't think I'd be able to hang out with you. Even though I really do want to." He said with a forlorn expression.

Orihime's face was dejected only for a moment before she jumped slightly in excitement. "Then that's what we'll do."

"Huh?" Masaru asked in confusion.

"Tatsuki-chan and I actually didn't know what we were going to do yet. But since you have a game we'll just come watch you play!"

Masaru actually had to keep himself from hugging the beautiful woman. _She actually wants to come see me play? _His smile was so warm Orihime blushed in reaction.

"That sounds like a great idea Orihime-chan."

"Wonderful. Maybe after the game we could go get something to eat? There's a great restaurant not far from the field that I just love!"

What had started out to be a mundane day just turned into one of the best day's of his life. Hell, he didn't care what she wanted to do he was in. "That sounds great. Now I have to make sure we win so it can be a celebratory dinner."

"Don't put to much pressure on yourself Masaru-san. As long as you try your best, that's all that matters."

He smiled warmly at her again. "You're right. Thanks Orihime-chan."

"Your very welcome. I'd better get back before class starts. I'll see you later Masaru-san."

"Bye Orihime-chan."

Orihime smiled all the way back to the classroom. She was glad she found another good friend in Masaru-san. He was such a nice person and was funny as well. When she saw him walking down the halway she just knew she needed to find time to hang out with him. She still felt bad that he wanted to get together on Golden Week and she never even thought to ask him. The excitement of being able to spend time with Ichigo had made her completely forget about Masaru. She was such a bad person sometimes.

"Oi, what was that about?"

She looked up to find Tatsuki standing outside the classroom facing her with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, well I went to see if Masaru-san wanted to hang out with us this weekend but he's got a game on Saturday. So I said we could go watch him play since we hadn't thought of anything to do yet."

"You were gonna ask Hayashi to go with us?"

"Yeah. Why? Should I not have?" The healer asked, now afraid she had made her best friend upset with her.

"It's fine. I don't really care who you invite, but...I'm surprised."

"Huh?"

"I would have bet anything you were gonna ask Ichigo."

Orihime blushed in reaction to that. "N-no. Not that I don't wanna spend time with him or anything like that but I just forgot that Masaru-san wanted to hang out as well and I'm sure Ichigo-kun doesn't wanna hang out with me anyway. He's probably really busy."

"Orihime."

"Yes?"

"Did you get over Ichigo or something? I thought you two were getting closer."

"What are you saying Tatsuki-chan?" she squealed loudly before remembering where they were. She pulled her friend away from the door and whispered loudly. "You know how I feel about Ichigo-kun! How could you even suggest that?"

"Well what am I supposed to think when you're asking out other guys?"

Orihime stared back at her friend, slack jawed, at her observation. Eventually she was able to stammer out a response. "B-b-but I...I wasn't asking him out!"

"Really? Didn't look that way to me."

"Tatsuki-chan!"

"Orihime, you just went up to a guy, asked him to do something with you this weekend, and when he said he couldn't you decided to come watch him play in his game. Now think about that for a second. What does it sound like to you."

Orihime thought for a moment before she realized her friend was right. It wasn't like that but maybe it could be construed that way. "Tatsuki-chan, okay, so maybe it does look like that but I swear Masaru-san and I are just friends!"

"Are you sure he feels that way?"

"Of course! Now would you please drop this. Masaru-san is a nice person and I'm glad I made a new friend in him."

"Yeah, I know he's a nice guy. I've talked to him quite a few times while he was waiting on Ryohei after practice."

"See?"

"Actually, If you ever decide to try out someone else I'd encourage you to go after Hayashi."

"Tatsuki-chan!"

* * *

Orihime stood back and admired her work. The icing was done in neat lines and small pink icing flowers adorned the sides of the cake. She was pleased with her work and carefully moved the item to the display case in front. While she was normally clumsy in her everyday life, she found that she always had a steady hand and a creative eye when it came to decorating the sweets the kitchen popped out. Glancing up at the clock she saw she only had another hour before her shift ended. She was about to go back into the workroom and clean her area when the tinkling of the bell sounded a customer coming in.

"Good afternoon and welcome to...Yuzu-chan?"

"Hello Orihime-san." The girl gave a friendly wave and walked up to the counter in front of the woman.

"It's good to see you Yuzu-chan. What can I get for you?"

"Oh, I'm not really here to get anythin...are those double fudge brownies?"

Orihime giggled at the girls lost train of thought. "Uh huh. Fresh ones too."

Yuzu bit her lip for just a moment in decision. "Of course they'd be fresh." she muttered to herself. "Oh there's no helping it. Give me four of those. This is why I don't come in here. I'm gonna get fat one day from all of this."

"It's not such a bad thing to spoil yourself once in a while Yuzu-chan." Orihime said as she wrapped up Yuzu's order.

"Maybe not but ever since I started..." Yuzu quickly looked around to make sure they were alone in the store. "Well, you know, every time right before it's _that _time it's like I can't get enough chocolate! That's why I said I'm gonna get fat!"

Orihime laughed once again. "Yuzu-chan. That happens to all of us. Well, I'm not sure if it's just chocolate but trust me, it is for me. I swear it's like the little blue men take over my brain and make me eat all the chocolate I can find! Last month, I took home a devil's food cake from the bakery and I swear in three days I ate the whole thing by myself!"

The girls laughed together over their own admissions.

"Oh, you said you weren't here to order anything at first, right? Why did you come in?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner Friday night?"

"Really?" Orihime asked.

"Yeah, I'd be really grateful if you came. It's a sorta thank you for everything you've done for me and Karin-chan."

"I'd love to come to dinner but really, you don't have to thank me for anything. I'm glad I've been of help to you and Karin-chan."

"I do have to thank you Orihime-san! Not just for that day but you've never turned me away or made me feel bad no matter how many times I've called and bugged you about stuff. And even though she hasn't really said anything to me I know Karin-chan has called you as well. Please let me do what little I can to repay you."

Orihime could see how much this would mean to Yuzu. Even though she'd already agreed to come to dinner, the younger girl really wanted to show her thanks. Even though it was embarrassing to Orihime, and un-necessary, she wanted Yuzu's mind to be at ease.

"Okay Yuzu-chan, I understand. Like I said I'd be very happy to come to dinner. What time should I be there?"

"How about 5pm? I know it's early but dinner will take a little while to cook and that way we can have time to hang out before hand?"

"That sounds great. Thank you so much for inviting me."

"Thanks for coming Orihime-san. I'll see you Friday then!"

Orihime waved to the cheerful girl as she left the store. It wasn't until much later Orihime realized she'd be eating dinner with Ichigo, in his house no less.

It was a good two hours before her blush went away.

* * *

Orihime ran her hands over her peach colored shirt, making sure to remove any wrinkles that might have appeared during her walk to Ichigo's house. She checked her skirt to make sure it still fell just below her knees and hadn't ridden up anywhere. She pressed the doorbell and quickly patted her hair down. Although this was a dinner she had been invited to by Yuzu, she couldn't forget the fact that it was Ichigo's home. That knowledge made the butterflies in her stomach begin acting up.

The door opened to reveal Isshin smiling ear to ear at her. "Come on in Orihime-chan! How are you?"

She followed him inside and removed her ballet flats at the door. "I'm very good Kurosaki-san, how are you?"

She was quickly swept into a large hug as he replied. "Wonderful my dear girl."

Though she was embarrassed by his actions, she wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him back. His hug felt so much like the ones her onii-chan used to give her, she had to give in to the impulse. His smile never left his face as he pulled away and led her into the living room where Karin sat watching tv.

"Hey Orihime-san."

"Hello Karin-chan. How are you?"

"Okay. Oi, Yuzu!" Karin yelled out to her sister. Yuzu appeared from the kitchen door with her apron still tied around her waist.

"Hey Orihime-chan. I'll be back out in just a second."

"No problem Yuzu-chan. Do you need help with anything?"

"Even if I did you aren't allowed to help with anything. This dinner is for you. Just relax for once okay?"

Orihime smiled at the young woman. "Okay then."

"Orihime-chan, make yourself at home. I've gotta go get cleaned up or Yuzu threatened to not feed me tonight."

She giggled at their exhuberant father as he left the room. Karin motioned for her to come sit beside her on the couch.

"Thanks for coming over." she whispered. "Yuzu wouldn't shut up about doing this and if you hadn't agreed I think she might have had a stroke or something."

"I'm happy to be invited Karin-chan. I just hope she isn't going to too much trouble."

"Nah, she loves doing this kind of stuff. She wanted to eat early too so maybe you'd agree to watch a movie or something."

"That's sounds like fun."

"Yeah? Okay, we can go ahead and pick out a movie for later then. I got some new ones yesterday from the video store. What kind of movies do you like watching?"

"I like all kinds, but I do really love science fiction movies."

Karin looked at the healer in disbelief. "Really? That's surprising."

"Oh yeah. I love movies with aliens or robots trying to take over the world. Those are my favorites!" she said with glee.

Karin shook her head slowly as she was once again stumped by the woman beside her. Who would've thought she could be so odd sometimes. They browsed through the movies before agreeing on a sci-fi horror movie that looked promising. Yuzu joined them shortly after while the food finished cooking and the girls sat back to talk and laugh. That's how Ichigo found them when he came downstairs.

"Orihime? What are you doing here?"

"Onii-chan! I told you I invited Orihime-san for dinner when you got home from school!"

Ichigo cursed mentally. _Damn Kon's worthless ass._ He had to stick the mod-soul in his body on the way home from school to take care of a hollow. He could have at least told him Yuzu's news when he came back. Seeing Orihime sitting on his couch was a shock to his system; pleasurable, but a shock nonetheless.

"Oh right, I just forgot. Got to wrapped up in homework I guess."

"Oh, let me go check on dinner." Yuzu said and bolted into the kitchen.

"I hope this isn't any trouble Ichigo-kun." Orihime said shyly.

"Of course not. You're always welcome here." Ichigo felt a heavy slap on his back that had him stumbling forward.

"That's the spirit Ichigo. Beautiful women will always be welcome in this household." he father said.

"Dammit old man! Act right for once." Ichigo said as he threw a punch to his father's gut.

"Don't try to oppress your father!" he yelled back and the two began their routine of fighting. Orihime looked on, distressed for a moment before Karin called to her.

"Just ignore them. This is the norm." she told her without even bothering to turn around and check on the male members of her family.

Orihime really tried to ignore them but she couldn't look away. Ichigo still held a deep scowl but she could see Isshin grinning during the fight. Eventually, Ichigo landed a blow to the back of his father's head, knocking him to the ground.

"Do you have to be like this all the time! We have a guest here!" Ichigo screamed at his father.

Isshin immediately crawled to his large picture of his deceased wife. "Oh Masaki! Our son refuses his father's love. What shall I do?" he wailed.

"Just ignore that too." Karin said.

"Idiot. Never can act right." Ichigo mumbled as he sat down.

"Dad...are you causing trouble again? You remember what I told you earlier?" Yuzu called from the kitchen.

"I **am** behaving Yuzu! Don't turn against your daddy too!" he screamed and disappeared into the kitchen.

"We live in a house full of idiots." Ichigo mumbled again.

Orihime giggled. "I think they're fun."

Ichigo didn't say anything to her statement. She didn't have anyone waiting at home for her and here he was complaining about his family. If she thought his crazy father was fun he'd be damned if he said anything to the contrary.

"Okay, dinner's ready!"

The dinner was relatively normal, at least for the Kurosaki household. Polite conversation went on over the delicious meal Yuzu had prepared. There was a brief fight between Ichigo and his father over the last piece of teriyaki chicken, but Karin just ate it while they were fighting. Orihime, now being more comfortable with the sight, just laughed at the pair when they realized the chicken was gone.

Despite Yuzu's protests, Orihime helped her clear away the dishes before they all settled in to watch the movie. Ichigo was still not sure how he ended up sitting beside Orihime on their couch as they watched the movie, but he definetly didn't mind, even though he could feel his father casting glances their way. Yuzu insisted on turning the lights off to make it scarier and he was glad for the darkness to hide himself from his father's prying eyes.

While he had enjoyed her close presence during the movie at the theater, it had been a comedy and the only contact they had was when her leg accidently brushed against his. Orihime was obviously enjoying the movie but she still jumped at the scary scenes. Occassionally, she would grab onto his arm in reflex. Without drawing attention to himself, he scooted over slightly and leaned his shoulder towards the young woman. She unconsciously leaned back into his weight and they remained that way during the movie.

Ichigo was disappointed when the movie was over because he lost the warmth of Orihime's body pressed against his. When she realized their proximity, she quickly scooted back and blushed prettily apologizing the whole while. He was quick to assure her it wasn't a problem and he was again graced with her smile. He was so caught up in watching her, he nearly missed her conversation with Yuzu. A certain someone's name caused his brain to quickly snap into focus.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Oh, do you want to come to Ichigo-kun?"

"Where?"

"To the soccer match on Saturday. Masaru-san is playing so Tatsuki-chan and I are gonna go watch the game. Afterwards, we're all gonna go get something to eat."

He forced himself to keep his temper in check. _It's not a date. It's not a date. She just said Tatsuki is coming too and she invited Karin so that does not make it a date...Fuck that. She's not going __**anywhere**__ with him if I'm not there. That bastard will probably just try to hit on her the entire time. _

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll come too."

"Really? Great!"

He calmed down even further knowing the happiness reflected in her eyes was due to him.

"This was wonderful Yuzu-chan! Thank you so much for everything but I should probably be getting home."

"I'll walk you."

"Eh? You don't need to do that Ichigo-kun. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"It's no trouble. Hey," he interrupted her when she opened her mouth to say something else. "I said it's no trouble."

She closed her mouth once again and nodded but a smile lit her face.

As he walked her to her apartment, Ichigo, as subtly as he could, asked her how she decided to go watch the game the next day. He wasn't happy with the fact that she had apparently invited him to hang out over the weekend but since she explained Tatsuki was coming, regardless of what they did, he calmed down somewhat. She obviously just thought of that guy as a friend but he still didn't trust the bastard. She filled the silence with funny stories from her job and a small smile found it's way to his face.

More and more he was finding he enjoyed spending time with her. While he always knew she was intelligent, she was actually quite witty at times. She never tried to offend anyone and, the most amazing thing, was she got along with each member of his odd family. He never realized how much he really didn't know about her and was surprised to find himself liking each new discovery. Too soon for his liking, they found themselves at her doorstep.

"Thank you so much for walking me home Ichigo-kun."

"No problem. I'm glad you came over. It was fun."

"Yeah it was. I'm really glad Yuzu-chan invited me."

It had been fun and he really wanted to hang out with her again, but if he asked her to do something with him...wouldn't that be a date? Couldn't they just hang out as friends without the awkwardness that he was sure would accompany any sort of date situation? He still wasn't sure how he really felt about her and jumping into a date would bring up all kinds of questions from her that he didn't have ready answers for.

Maybe he could just ask her to come over for dinner again? Yeah, that was a good idea. She was friends with his sisters too so he could just say they also wanted to hang out with her and it wouldn't be suspicious.

"Ichigo-kun?"

"Huh?"

"I was asking if you were alright. You kinda spaced out for a minute."

He flushed. "Yeah, sorry I was just thinking about something."

"Oh, okay then. Well I guess I'll..."

A senkaimon opening near them interrupted her. They watched as the doors opened and Rangiku walked out to greet them.

"Oh I'm glad I caught you home Orihime-chan!" She went to huge the young woman but paused as she flicked her eyes to Ichigo and back again. "Well, I see you're home now anyway. Was I interrupting something?" She asked with a sly grin.

"No. What do you want?" Ichigo asked tersely.

"Humph." she pouted briefly before regaining her smile. "When is the next time you guys get a break from that school you go to?"

"Umm, the middle of next month actually. Why?" Orihime answered.

"Oh, no reason. Thanks, bye and behave you two!" She said with a wink before stepping into the senkaimon again. She was gone just as quickly as she came.

The pair of bright haired teens just stared at the empty space where she once was.

"What was that all about?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

_She ran as quickly as she could. His reiatsu was just ahead as well as Urahara-san's and Yoruichi-san's. She could feel another reiatsu she wasn't familiar with but it didn't seem threatening. What worried her was she couldn't feel Aizen's reiatsu at all. _

_The closer she got, the more the scenery deteriorated. Buildings lay crumpled in the streets, small fires still smoldered amongst the rubble. Finally, after what felt like forever she saw the back of her unrequited love. He stood amongst their mentors watching Aizen above them. A powerful burst of energy shot from Aizen's hand towards the group. She quickly called her shield around them before she screamed for him. _

_"Kurosaki-kun!"_

_She saw him whip his head around to face her._

_"Inoue? What are you doing here?"_

_As soon as she got to them she called out her Soten Kisshun to heal the four of them. She left her barrier up in front of them in case of another attack but as she looked for Aizen, she saw him standing with his back to them farther away than before. "Kurotsuchi-san was able to open the garganta again and bring us here. When we arrived, Byakuya-san said he couldn't feel Aizen's reiatsu so he opened a senkaimon to Soul Society and Kenpachi-san went with him to search for him. I was helping Unohana-san treat everyone's wounds when I felt your reiatsu. No one is in danger of dying so she told me I could leave to find you."_

_"Inoue, do you not know how dangerous it is? You shouldn't be here!" Ichigo yelled at her._

_She lowered her head at his anger but she wouldn't be sent away, not when they were all wounded. "I'm sorry Kurosaki-kun but I was so worried. I hadn't finished healing you before you left. When Ishida-kun and I got to the others and you had already gone, I got so scared. I knew you would still look for Aizen even with only half of your reiatsu."_

_"Wow Orihime-chan. All of my wounds are already closed. Your faster at healing than anyone I've ever seen!" Isshin said._

_"Oh! Kurosaki-san." She turned her surprised face to him. She had been so focused on getting to Ichigo that she had only spared his companions a glance. His father had not actually registered in her mind until he had spoken. "You're...a..." she lowered her eyes to take in his shinigami garb. Her brows puckered in confusion for only a moment more before an understanding light shone in her eyes. "Well that makes sense."_

_Isshin smiled at the gentle woman and let out a small chuckle. "You can roll with the punches well can't you?"_

_"Like I say, women handle things better than men." Yoruichi said._

_"Thank you for your assistance Inoue-san. I believe we are all okay now." Urahara said and she called back her powers. The small group stood behind the barrier looking at Aizen._

_"What are we gonna do?" Orihime asked. Even to her own ears her voice sounded thick with fear._

_"I honestly don't know." Urahara said quietly. "He's fused himself with the hogyoku now. Everything we throw at him is useless."_

_Orihime turned to look at the former shinigami. His face showed the great tension everyone was feeling. This was so unlike him that it frightened her. Urahara and Yoruichi always had some answer, some plan to follow, that to see them watching Aizen start to walk away with such hopelessness in their eyes brought her face to face with the reality that they may actually lose this fight. But to lose this war would mean..._

_She turned to look at Ichigo. She could only watch his face for a moment before she had to turn away. Seeing him share the same look as Urahara made her want to weep and this was not the time for it. If she gave into her tears right then she would break and she wouldn't be able to pull herself together for a long time. For the moment, she took all her problems, all of the horrible things that happened in Hueco Mundo, placed them in a box and shoved them far back into her mind. They could be dealt with later._

_If there was a later._

_This just couldn't be happening. How had things gotten this way? What could they do?_

_Aizen was powerful before he left Soul Society but he wasn't unstoppable. She was sure that if he didn't have the hogyoku Urahara, Yoruichi, or Ichigo could deal with him. She hadn't seen his father fight but his reiatsu was very powerful and she was sure that was a captain's haori on his shoulder, so he would probably be able to hold his own against Aizen as well. The problem was the hogyoku. Since it was fused with Aizen there was no taking it away from him...right?_

_Maybe there was a way._

Orihime sat up abruptly in bed, sweat pouring from her body. It took her longer than usual to calm her racing heart and gather her bearings. When she felt her pulse return to normal she laid back down. Just what was that? She knew it was from the same dream she had been having but...it felt so real. She knew she heard Ichigo's voice call out to her in the other dreams she had and now she saw him, and his father.

When she was in the hospital, Kurosaki-san openly spoke with her about the shinigami. If this dream was reality, then that made sense. He would have already seen her in his shinigami form and wouldn't feel like he had to hide it. But what were those feelings at the end of the dream?

She sighed heavily and turned over to her side. She was glad the dream was becoming more clear but unfortunately she still had so many unanswered questions. She would try her best to be patient and continue to let this dream unfold as it would. Hopefully, when it was over, she would remember everything from that day.


	10. Chapter 10

**-July-**

Ishida sat quietly in his window seat on the train watching the man who had peaked his curiosity over the past few months. Ichigo's bright orange hair was impossible to miss over the backs of the chairs. Once again, the vizards attention seemed to be focused completely on Inoue; though unlike a few weekends before, his face was relaxed and he even chuckled at something she said. This reaction was totally different than what Ishida observed when he went to Karakura's soccer match at the end of June.

Normally, he would never attend such an event; he simply had more important things to do with his time. However, the school's principle approached him as the head of the handicrafts club and asked if they could design a new outfit for the team. None of the team members could agree on a single design, so after he received the several ideas from the players (most of them horrid in his opinion) he decided he needed to see what kind of performance they would demand from their uniforms. When he arrived, he was surprised to see Ichigo sitting in the stands with one of his sisters, Tatsuki, and Inoue.

The healer immediately called him over and made room for him to join them. He grudgingly sat next to Ichigo as the substitute pressed himself closer to Inoue giving him no choice but to take the end of the bench. That day the scowl Ichigo normally held on his face was much deeper. Everytime a certain member of the team, Hayashi Masaru Ishida heard the announcer call, made a goal Inoue and Tatsuki would cheer loudly. Ichigo's right eye would twitch each time the gentle girl screamed his name in encouragement.

All of these new findings were leading Ishida to a conclusion he began to dismiss immediately.

That was until they all went out to lunch after the game.

Ichigo made certain Inoue and Masaru never stood, sat, or were even close to each other when he joined their group. His words may have been polite but his tone was anything but. Ishida was originally confused. Though he was not even an acquaintance of Hayashi, he was familiar with the man's reputation. Hayashi was a good student, albeit average, a member of the soccer team, and well liked by his peers. From what he knew about him, there were no rumors of any unacceptable behavior towards fellow students or teachers. For Ichigo to dislike him so much was unusual.

Ishida remained somewhat withdrawn from the conversation in order to study everyone's behavior closely. Tatsuki and Karin were talking and laughing with everyone but Ishida saw both of them watching Ichigo's reactions closely when they thought he wasn't looking. Hayashi was mostly concerned with Inoue. Nothing he did was untoward but it was still quite obvious he held an affection for their friend. He was polite and complimentary and tried to engage her in some light flirting, which the sometimes dense, intelligent girl didn't seem to pick up on.

Inoue was openly laughing and trying to engage everyone in conversation. She seemed to enjoy Hayashi's company but she didn't look at him the same way Ishida always saw her looking at Ichigo. She did flush under a couple of the soccer players compliments, but her doe eyes didn't flash in wonder at his presence. She didn't hang on his every word nor smile that sweet smile even Ishida had never been privy too. Her body language was easy to read as well. Though she was talking to Hayashi, she didn't lean in towards him but rather sat back against the chair and tilted slighty towards Ichigo who sat next to her.

Inoue obviously had no romantic inclinations towards Hayashi.

Ichigo, it seemed, did not understand this.

For every smile she sent to Hayashi, Ichigo clenched his jaw. Every laugh at his jokes sent that muscle twitch through the substitue's face. Ishida was surprised Ichigo had not forcibly pulled the young woman back into him when Hayashi had her lean forward to tell her a supposed secret about one of his friends.

Comparing all these findings with what he had observed about Ichigo over the past few months had him coming to an undeniable conclusion...

Ichigo had developed feelings for Inoue.

Considering how long the young beauty had harbored feelings for their emotionally stunted friend, Ishida was somewhat happy about this development. Ichigo may be his rival in terms of Quincy versus Shinigami, but he did hold a begrudging respect for the man. He had a deep sense of justice and a fierce protective nature that Ishida found commendable. Inoue was someone precious to Ishida, though, and he wished for her happiness; especially after the horrible events of the war. He was unsure if Ichigo, who never seemed to be happy about anything, could bring her that happiness.

After he parted ways with everyone, he tried not to think to much on the subject. For one, he was simply not interested in anyone else's love life. It was nothing but an emotional territory and he was honest enough to admit that was not an area he excelled in. On the off chance Ichigo came to him for advice, Ishida would supply it, to the best of his abilities that was; but beyond that, this was simply none of his busniess. He wasn't worried about Ichigo hurting the gentle woman as she was one of the main people he was so protective over.

Ishida turned his head away to watch the scenery as it passed. The train they were on was headed for a private rented beach for a one week vacation. At the beginning of the month, Rangiku and Rukia came to the living world to hand out invitations to this 'vacation'. According to the members of the Shinigami Women's Association, everything was finally back to normal in Soul Society and at the last meeting, it was decided a celebration was due for everyone's efforts during the war. While other shinigami were partying in Soul Society, mostly drinking he was told, the Women's Association decided to rent out the same private beach they visited briefly before and take a longer more relaxing break. They invited their human companions since, Rangiku told him in 'supposed' confidence, it was truly their efforts that decided the outcome of the war.

While Ishida was not necessarily a beach person, he did admit being able to get away from his bastard of a father and simply relax for a week was too tempting of an offer to pass up. Which is why he now found himself on a train with his very loud and overexcited friends. Inoue, Rangiku, and Rukia were talking and laughing loudly in the front seats. Ichigo and Renji were, of course, arguing over nothing in particular. Thankfully Sado was seated near him and had yet to say more than four words during the trip. Renji informed them earlier other shinigami would be meeting them at the house later that day.

Ishida leaned back in the seat to get comfortable, preparing to take a short nap for the remainder of the trip. Regardless of what may happen with this unlikely group of friends, he knew it would not be boring.

* * *

Orihime sighed as she threw herself onto the bed she claimed for their stay in the lovely house on the beach. She was so happy at the moment she didn't know how she could simply contain it all. The school year was over and they now had a few weeks of blessed free time before it began again in September. She had been nervous when she approached her boss to ask for the time off to come on the trip, but he simply smiled and told her to enjoy herself. The only thing that could have possibly made it better was if Tatsuki were able to join them. She had already made plans to visit her grandmother out of town so the two had gotten together before Orihime left to celebrate Tatsuki's birthday early. She would have never been able to join the odd mishmash of oddly powered humans, Quincy, and Shinigami anyway.

"Orihime-chan!" Rangiku screamed as she jumped on her likewise busty friend and hugged her tightly. "Aren't you so glad we're doing this?"

She wiggled a bit to give herself room to breath before replying. "Oh I really am Rangiku-san. I can't thank you enough for inviting us."

"Nonsense! Like I said before, we could have never won the war without any of you so what sense would it make to take a celebratory vacation without you guys?"

"Well, you could have went another time when we were unable to go so thank you for waiting for us."

"Stop thanking me already! Now, get your ass up and into one of those bikinis I know you brought. It's time to hit the beach!"

"But Rangiku-san, shouldn't we wait for everyone else?"

"They got here when you were unpacking and the guys already left for the beach. Kuchiki is changing in the bathroom so your the last one, now come on!" she yelled in excitement and left the room for the young woman to change.

Orihime got up and began rifiling through the small dresser by the bed for one of the swinsuits she just put away. The small, brightly wrapped package in the back of the drawer caught her eye. A small blush lit her face before she shoved some clothes back over it, effectively hiding it from view should anybody happen to open her drawer.

"You ready yet Orihime-chan?" she heard Rangiku yell through the door. She quickly changed into her suit, throwing on a brightly colored sarong dress for the walk, grabbed her sunscreen and hurried to follow the others.

The sun was hot, but not unbearably so, as the three women walked down the beach to meet up with their friends. No other visitors were along the beach as far as Orihime could see in either direction. The Association truly rented out the entire section of beach, making it possible for everyone to relax their guard and enjoy themselves.

"Didn't take them long did it?" Rukia remarked dryly. In the ocean, Orihime could see Sado pick up Ichigo and toss him towards Renji who went wide eyed and ducked under water quickly. The pair shot up for air a moment later lightly punching each other and trying to once again dunk the other under water. Ishida was sitting on a towel under an umbrella. Though he had on swim trunks, he still wore a shirt unbuttoned, and had a book in his hands. Yumichika sat near him under yet another umbrella, pouring a large amount of sunscreen onto his skin.

The girls set up their towels near Ishida and waved to Yourichi and Soifon who were walking up the beach their way.

"I'll help you if you help me." Rukia said to Orihime, indicating the sunscreen bottle in her hands. She smiled at the smaller woman and pulled the tie that kept her sarong in place.

Ichigo laughed as he watched Renji get thrown backwards in the water by Ikkaku and Chado. He couldn't even hide the fact that he was having a blast not even two hours after they'd arrived at the beach house. Renji and Ikkaku were quick to force him into his swim trunks and push him out the door once they'd arrived at the rather large house. Immediately, the group fell into their normal routine of rough housing each other. Doing so in the water proved to be much more entertaining than on land.

The bright auburn hair caught his eye and he turned to watch the girls walking up the beach. Orihime looked stunning in her bright dress and wide smile as she spread out her towel near Ishida's. Ever since that damned soccer game, he'd been trying to spend more time with the woman but everything seemed to be getting in his way. She either had to work or had club activities when he was free. When she was free, it seemed every damn hollow in existence wanted to rear their ugly heads or he had too much homework to ignore. Either way, he'd made absolutely no progress in his new found quest to spend as much time as he could with her. That's why when Rangiku told him about this trip he jumped at the chance to go. A week away from school, work, and hollow duties? No matter if all their friends were around, he made a vow to spend most of his time with her.

Her delicate hand lifted to the knot at her bust and gave one sharp tug; that's when Ichigo's brain ceased functioning. He could almost hear the fabric as it glided against her body, following every curve on it's way down. Inch by beautiful inch of alabaster skin was revealed as the dress was removed, revealing the simple black bikini she wore. Ichigo almost forgot how to breathe as he took in the sight of her. His new found want to be near her had somehow leveled out the almost constant perverted thoughts he now had. However, that brief reprieve had flown out the window as he was faced with so much more of her skin than he can ever remember seeing. He distinctly remembered coming to the beach with her once before but he could barely recall what she wore then.

That would never be a problem now because the image of her body barely clad in the midnight bikini was now burned into his brain.

He was unprepared for the attack, so when Renji jumped him from behind he went crashing into the water; effectively jarring him from his inappropriate thoughts.

"Bastard." He wheezed as he resurfaced for air.

"Loser." Renji replied. "Oh look finally, the girls decided to make it out here." He drawled and made his way out of the water towards their position on the towels.

Ichigo followed, now having an excuse to get near the sun-bathing goddess.

"Renji, you baka, get out of the way!" Rukia cried as he stood above her, casting her in his shadow.

"Why?"

"You're blocking my sunlight!"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say. Come on, the water feels great."

"I can't yet. We just applied our sunblock so we gotta wait a while before we get wet."

"Huh? That's dumb. If it comes off just put on more."

"No! Now move, I was enjoying myself before you stomped over here."

"You know she's right Ichigo-kun." Orihime said to Ichigo, who stood at the base of her towel much like his tattooed friend did to Rukia. "We do need to let it set in. Besides," she added with a grin. "You **are** blocking my sun."

Ichigo and Renji turned to each other and raised an eyebrow at the girls reasoning.

"They're apparently to thick-headed to understand." Rukia said to Orihime. "Let's try this. Why don't you two just go back to the water and play again like good little children."

Orihime giggled at her statement and the girls once again closed their eyes and relaxed on the towels.

Ishida watched with a barely perceptual grin as he saw Renji and Ichigo nod slightly to each other, reach out for the girls, and toss them over their shoulders. Their loud squeals rang into the distance. Rangiku and Yourichi laughed loudly as the men walked out into the ocean, waist deep, before lightly tossing both women into the water. They each came up sputtering and pushing the hair from their eyes. Renji and Ichigo laughed at their plight causing the raven haired shinigami to narrow her eyes and whisper something to her co-hort. Orihime's eyes widened briefly before a large grin split her face.

"Oh I so agree Kuchiki-san."

"Ready?" she whispered back.

"Uh-huh."

They turned to their prey and slowly advanced forward.

"N-n-now Rukia, I was just kidding around." Renji sputtered as he backed away from the intimidating petite woman.

"Orihime, what are you doing?" Ichigo asked as he too backed away from the women.

"Get 'em!" the girls yelled in unison before launching themselves at the larger men, sending them all underwater once again. The sounds of laughter could be heard from the beach as they all watched the spectacle.

* * *

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Orihime sat in one of the deck chairs as she took in the rising sun. While her dreams had woken her once again, this time she truly didn't mind as she was witness to the beauty of nature around her. The bright reds and yellows blended to give a golden hue to the early morning sky. Waves crashed against the shoreline while the birds soared overhead. Coupled with the gentle breeze rolling off the shore, it gave an almost hypnotic effect that had her nearly boneless in the cushioned chair. It almost wasn't worth the effort to bring her jasmine tea to her lips.

"Can I join you?"

She turned to smile at the owner of that familiar voice that nearly always sent pleasurable little shivers down her back.

"Of course Ichigo-kun. Why are you up so early?"

He raised his eyebrow to her as he took his seat. "I could ask you the same thing."

She giggled in response and turned back to the ocean. "It's so beautiful and so peaceful out here." she said with awe.

He made a sound of agreement and sat back to enjoy the view as well. After some time, he spoke again. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too. I'm so glad they invited us to come along. It's been a wonderful two days so far."

"That it has. So, what's on the agenda for today?" he said with a small smile.

She returned his smile and tapped her finger against her chin in mock thought. "Well after breakfast, which if memory serves me right the guys will be cooking after losing that game of cards last night," he groaned aloud at this causing her to smile wider. "I believe the consensus was for a game of beach volleyball."

"Sounds good. Well, except for the guys cooking breakfast part."

She laughed prettily. "Oh come on Ichigo-kun, it won't be that bad. Personally, I'm excited to see what you can do in the kitchen."

A brief vision of one of his more _interesting_ dreams came to mind at her words before he forcibly pushed it away. "Yeah...this coming from the woman who likes red bean paste on everything."

"Not _everything_ Ichigo-kun, some things are just better with wasabi."

Their shared laughter was interrupted by the door opening.

"Good morning you two."

"Oh, good morning Ishida-kun." Orihime replied.

"Morning. What's got you up so early?"

"Nothing in particular." He said as he pushed his glasses up on his nose. "It seems though that we are all rising early this morning. I heard the others already moving about their rooms."

"Great." Ichigo muttered. "I guess we should go ahead and start breakfast then."

"Oh I just can't wait for this!" Orihime declared while clapping her hands.

"You know, I think you are just enjoying this a little too much."

"Nonsense Ichigo-kun. Now just remember, I do prefer a more traditional breakfast instead of western." She smiled and rose form the chair. "I'll just go hop in the shower while you boys get to work."

Ichigo watched her leave and was hard pressed to remove the smile from his face. He saw Ishida watching him out of the corner of his eye. "What?" he asked harshly.

"Absolutely nothing Kurosaki."

He sneered at the Quincy's back but reluctantly followed him into the kitchen.

The women all praised the men's cooking as they were clearing the table; even if the fish had been cooked too long. Their grumbling caused the women to laugh again but Orihime was feeling a bit bad even though the others told her it was just teasing and the men knew it. She couldn't stop herself from apologizing to Ichigo later for her behavior and was surprised when he laughed at her. He assured her he was fine with her teasing and had actually enjoyed it. This caused her to blush once again and run off to change for their game.

The net was easily set up and everyone picked teams. They decided to play in pairs with teams rotating out to play the winners. The first match was Ikkaku and Yumichika against Yourichi and Soifon. While the humans had to explain the rules to the shinigami, it didn't take them long to grasp the concept of the game. It quickly turned into a sexist battle with each side cheering loudly for the other. Soifon set up a spike for Yourichi which she easily landed on the other team winning the match for them.

Ichigo and Sado quickly took their place against the women and began a fierce game.

Orihime continued to shout loudly for the female team but inside she just had to cheer for Ichigo. Even though he wore a smile during the game, she could tell his eyes were taking in every detail. It might all be in good fun but Ichigo was still competitive by nature. His muscles tightened as he jumped to spike the ball and her eyes seemed to take on a life of their own, following every movement he made.

The cords of his neck stood out powerfully as he pushed his strength through his shoulders and down his arms, forcing the ball to hit the ground hard. She saw his powerful biceps bunch as he high-fived Sado after the successful point. Sweat ran down his neck, slipping over his collarbone, down the powerful raised muscles of his chest, before dipping in and out of the grooves that lined his taut abdomen. Orihime now felt the sweat trickling down her brow as she was held in her trance-like state watching Ichigo's hard body move and flex across the sand.

Heat rose to her face but she couldn't force herself to look away. She had always thought he was handsome, loved the way his eyes burned with his emotions, but the strong feelings coursing through her body now almost scared her with their intensity. As she watched his hard, toned body move across the sand, she could feel a strange pulsing beginning in her lower abdomen. A need for...something burned in her gut and before she could embarrass herself, she forced her hand to reach for her water bottle and drink the cooling liquid.

"Inoue? Are you okay?" She heard Rukia's concerned voice ask. Unfortunately, she still couldn't get her mouth to work right so she nodded absently with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Don't lie to me! You're face is beat red and you seem dazed. Has the sun gotten to you?" Orihime finally found her voice enough to assure her she was okay. The petite shinigami seemed mollified for the moment and turned away. Orihime sighed a barely audible one of relief and kept her gaze averted from her love. She had a vague notion of what just happened to her and if that was the case, she had to avoid looking at him right now at all costs.

* * *

Ichigo walked into the living room after he finished washing the day's accumulation of sand from his body and was confused at the sight that greeted him. Orihime and Rukia stood in the entrance way to the kitchen arguing quietly over something. He could only catch snippets of their conversation.

"But Kuchiki-san!"

"No, you've already done your part...this is what you have to do now."

"But what about...and the..."

"We've got it, now just keep him busy!"

With that being said, Rukia ushered Orihime away from the doorway. Neither of them were looking around so when Rukia inadvertently pushed Orihime into Ichigo, the girls let out small shrieks of surprise.

"Oi, what are you two doing?"

"N-n-nothing Ichigo-kun." Orihime stammered.

"Good timing. Inoue has something she wants to show you."

"Kuchiki-san!"

"Go on, we'll see you in a little while." The petite shinigami ran off before the two could say anything else.

"What was that all about?" Ichigo asked the blushing woman.

Orihime fiddled with her hands for a few moments before getting a determined look and grabbing Ichigo's wrist. "Come with me please Ichigo-kun."

His face darkened slightly with color but he did nothing to fend off the warmth of her hand. Orihime took him outside, leading him away until they were standing just off the property on the cooling sands of the beach. Night was just falling and the few stars that were out glittered off the dark waters surface. Ichigo watched, spellbound, as the shadows played off Orihime's soft profile.

"I'm almost sad to see this week end." Orihime finally said.

"Yeah, it has been great. We've still got one more day to go though."

"True." she said with a sad smile. "But it's back home after that. For all of us."

"Huh?"

"Kuchiki-san and the others have to go back to Soul Society when we leave. Since there's already a representative for the town, I don't know when we'll be able to see them again."

She was still lightly gripping his wrist, so he pulled back slightly until their hands were connected. Her face tilted up towards his and the moonlight bathed her face in it's ethereal glow. Ichigo felt his breath catch in the back of his throat.

"Ichigo-kun?"

Her voice alerted him to the fact he'd been staring at her face without speaking for too long. "It's okay. We'll see them again soon I'm sure." He said softly.

"Thank you." she whispered. His hand rose, almost of its own volition to reach out and stroke her face when she went wide-eyed with the remembrance of something.

"I almost forgot!" Her hand dropped his, leaving him feeling disappointed. Opening the small purse she had around her shoulders, she pulled out a brightly wrapped gift. "It's not much." she admitted with a quiet voice and fierce blush to her cheeks. "But, I hope you'll enjoy it. Happy Birthday Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo could only stare at the offered gift with amazement. He became so wrapped up in the fun they were all having together that he forgot his own birthday! He looked up to her shy, smiling face and felt another tug at his heart. Hesitantly, he took the package from her hands with a murmured 'thank you'.

"I asked Karin-chan to make sure you didn't have it already."

Curious now, he removed the wrapping to discover the newest CD by one of his favorite bands. True, the cost of the gift wasn't much, but knowing she took the time to remember what he liked gave him so much more happiness than the CD itself. She was still looking at him closely, awaiting his reaction. Ichigo reached out slowly and drew her into a hug. He heard her gasp, but thankfully she didn't stiffen or pull away from him.

"Thank you Orihime." He whispered into her hair.

Orihime almost melted against him as she felt his breath wash over her. Her arms came up and wrapped loosely around his torso, returning the embrace. Her face was pressed against his chest and his scent filled her head. Neither knew how long they stayed that way, but when Ichigo pulled back, it was only just enough that he could look into her eyes.

His hands remained around her shoulders while hers were drapped on his waist. The beating of his heart seemed so loud to him that he was amazed she hadn't commented on it. Storm grey eyes stared into his own and he wanted, **so damn badly**, to just stop fighting it! Her lips parted slightly, drawing his gaze there. As if she knew what he wanted, her small pink tongue came out to wet her dry lips; his fingers curled into her flesh at the sight.

Dragging his eyes up over the contours of her face, his eyes finally met hers again. So many emotions swirled within her expressive orbs that he felt as if he were drowning in them. Her questioning gaze never left his as they stood, silent still in each others arms. Ever so slightly, he pulled her towards his chest even further and he heard the barely audible whimper escape her throat.

He lost the battle.

His face moved towards her own, eyes remaining open as if to catalog this moment in his memory for eternity. Her fingers tighten against his waist and she seemed to rise on her toes, happy to greet him.

Footsteps fell against the wood planking of the porch and he jerked away from her. He turned to see who came outside and he prayed the shadows of the night were enough to hide his embarrassed blush.

"Inoue! Ichigo! Are you guys still out here?" He heard Rukia's voice call out for them.

"Yeah!" he called back.

"Come on, you're gonna miss dinner!"

"Okay!" He turned back to Orihime but met with her back as she had turned away from him. "Orihi..."

"Come on, we don't want to be late." She said quickly and moved away from him; her face never looking back to his.

Confused at her swift departure, he rushed to catch up to the beauty. She managed to make it into the house before him. He heard her footsteps disappear down the hall but before he could follow his friends burst out of the kitchen.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday Ichigo!" they yelled in unison.

"Wha..."

"Yes!" Ikkaku shouted. "We **did** manage to surprise him."

"I can't believe you doubted it for a second."

"Come off it Ishida."

"Now, now boys. None of that." Yourichi said with a smile. "This is a party! No fighting here."

Rangiku walked into the room with a rather large cake balanced on her hands. Ichigo followed her as she placed it on the table and he immediately recognized the work as Orihime's.

"Looks good don't it. Orihime-chan spent a while making this one."

She didn't need to tell him that. He could instantly tell she had spent a great deal of time on the cake. The cake was a single layer but large in size, enough to feed them all with leftovers. Decorative icing was piped around the entire edge of the cake in perfect lines. On top, 'Happy Birthday Ichigo' was written in beautiful strokes; but the most amazing thing was the decoration in the corner. Drawn in dark colored icing, was an almost perfect replica of his substitute badge. The colors seemed to jump out against the white backdrop of the cake.

Everyone gathered around him to sing happy birthday and he kept the smile on his face while he looked for the bright auburn hair he wished to see. Just when he became worried, he spotted her at the back of the crowd. She was singing along with everyone else, but her smile wasn't as bright as before. Confusion set in his mind again but he was unable to think about it too much as the others began playfully teasing him and starting up the party. Promising to figure out what had caused the change in the healer later, he gave in to the mood around him and enjoyed his party.

She waited until everyone began to tire out from their activities. She knew if she left earlier there would be questions to which she had no answers too that didn't reveal her pain. Silently, she left the living room and made her way to the darkened bedroom. Without bothering to change, she fell into bed. The tears started as soon as her head hit the pillow. Covering her mouth with her hand tightly, she gave in and cried her sorrows out.

* * *

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**A/N:**

**Just another moment to thank my wonderful readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I appreciate all reviews that are given!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I know the ending of the last chapter raised a question amongst many of you but rest assured you will have your answers in this chapter. **

**Once again I want to thank all my wonderful readers who give me such inspiration to continue. Thank you all so much and reviews are always welcomed!**

**Enjoy!**

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* * *

At first, she had only been upset over his quick withdrawal, her own insecurities making her think he had changed his mind. However, when she saw Rukia on the porch, she thought perhaps he heard her approaching. If that was the case, then she felt a bit better. Rather than him jerking away from her in repulsion, he had simply been embarrassed at almost getting caught. What confused her was the heavy onslaught of emotions that came as soon as they parted. It was an odd feeling. Almost as if she was certain she would never see him again.

That's what made her leave the party and lock herself away. No matter what she tried to do, the feelings wouldn't pass. As the night wore on, they only got worse. Despair so thick she had trouble catching her breath washed over her being. For whatever reason, she felt as if her life was about to be over.

It made no sense. She was completely confused by the way she felt.

She tried to put on her smile for everyone the next day but even to her it seemed fake. Ichigo asked her once again what was wrong but she told him it was nothing. How could she explain the odd feelings she was having?

* * *

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** -August-**

The next few days Orihime threw herself into her work. There was no school for a few weeks so she knew she wouldn't see Ichigo as much. Normally that thought alone would depress her, but she felt as if she needed to regain control over her emotions before she could face him again. The lingering pain she still felt from that onslaught of emotions was a heavy enough burden and she was afraid being around him so much would cause them to resurface. So for the time being, she picked up every shift they would allow her to. At work she could interact with everyone and wear a true smile on her face.

Yuzu came by the store and invited her to dinner but she refused saying she had to work. While that wasn't necessarily a lie, it was a small stretch of the truth. She would have to work once she replied to the manager about picking up the shift. If she had agreed to go to the dinner, she could have simply said she had plans and couldn't work. He hadn't asked the other employees yet as he knew Orihime was willing to work extra shifts lately. She was just scared to see Ichigo again so soon.

Unfortunately, once her shift ended that night and she was leaving the store, she saw Ichigo standing outside the building waiting for her. That odd sadness began creeping back into her heart and she had to fight the urge to cry as soon as she saw him.

"Hey."

"Hello Ichigo-kun. What are you doing here?" she replied.

"I haven't seen you since we got back from the beach. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." He pushed off the wall and began walking towards her.

She avoided looking at him as she answered. "I'm fine thank you. I'm sorry Ichigo-kun but I should be getting home." She walked past him as she hastily left the area. His stride was much longer than hers and he caught up with her in no time.

"Fine, but I'm walking you home."

It wasn't a request. Unless she wanted to be rude she had to allow him to walk her home and she couldn't do that. The problem with her emotions were her own and she shouldn't be taking them out on Ichigo. He had been nothing but nice to her, always polite and respectful, and she was purposefully avoiding him. Why was she such a bad person sometimes?

"Orihime." his stern voice rang out.

She looked up to him, surprised that she had once again spaced out into her own world and had not heard him obviously calling for her.

"I'm sorry Ichigo-kun, were you saying something?"

His eyes showed the concern he was feeling. "What's going on Orihime? And don't tell me nothing again. Something has obviously been bothering you."

She was silent for a moment as she tried to work out what to say to him. She couldn't unload her emotional problems on him; especially when she wasn't entirely sure what was going on herself. "I'm sorry Ichigo-kun. I just haven't been feeling well lately, that's all." She said a quick prayer to the kami and her brother to forgive her little lie.

Ichigo studied her face for a moment before deciding to trust her statement. "Okay, but if something is going on please tell me. I can't help you if you don't let me Orihime."

The last part of his sentence was said low and with so much emotion Orihime felt the tears began to prick the back of her eyes once again. Thankfully they had arrived at her apartment and she was able to bid a quick farewell before ducking inside. She stood still against the door until she finally felt his reiatsu leave the area. Exhaustion flooded her body at that point and she slumped to the ground. All these strange feelings were confusing her and she just wanted them to be over. More than anything she wished she understood what was going on; then perhaps, her friendship with Ichigo could go back to normal.

She would come to realize it would never be the same.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

"Noooo!" her shrill cry pierced the night.

She clutched her right arm to her body as she shot up in bed. Dragging the covers along with her, she crawled backwards until she felt the wall behind her. Shivers racked her body constantly as the lingering effects of pain from her dream coursed through her.

Eight months since that one horrid dream began occurring and it was finally over.

She clutched her head as the tears ran unchecked down her face. Many, many times she remembered saying she only wished she could finish the dream. Now she was regretful she had. Everything was so clear now. Why her arm had been bandaged when she woke up, her presence at the hospital, Kurosaki-san's confusion when she didn't remember him being a shinigami. This was no dream. She knew for a fact this was a very real memory.

Her shivers wouldn't stop and the tears poured out faster than ever. The pain...kami, the pain had been unbearable. She had wanted to let go so badly, wanted to stop the agony she suffered but she knew if she had everything would be lost. So she withstood it. How long it actually took before the hogyoku was pulled from Aizen's body she wasn't sure, but it felt as if days had passed before the unending torture ceased. The vision of her flesh melting off her arm flashed within her mind again and she barely made it to the bathroom before she began vomiting.

She emptied her stomach violently but the heaving wouldn't stop. Again and again she gagged on nothing at all as her tears continued to blind her.

"Orihime-sama." Though she couldn't see him, she knew the voice belonged to Shun'o. "Orihime-sama, please try to calm down."

She felt a towel being pressed against her hands. She roughly wiped her face and mouth but the images kept assaulting her mind. Aizen's cruel eyes and words, the indescribable pain, the knowledge that she was going to die...

It was all just too much for her. She screamed her pain into the emptiness of her apartment before her vision ran black.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

She felt the coolness of the bathroom tile against her skin as she woke up. She was confused for a moment as she struggled to remember why she was in the bathroom to begin with. All at once the visions of the memory returned and with it the tears began again.

"Orihime-sama?"

She raised her head to greet the faces of her obviously upset powers. All of them, save for Tsubaki, watched her with such concern in their eyes. Tsubaki's head was tilted down as he focused on his lap, unable to meet her eyes.

"Shun'o-kun..." she whimpered through her tears. She could find no words to describe the suffering she remembered so she gave up and collapsed her head into her hands and cried fully once again. She felt their tiny hands on her as they tried to lend her support, but as she was now devoid of any strength, so were they. They stayed huddled around her though, whispering soothing words as they cried their own grief at their master's pain.

As the numbness of grief settled in place of the pain and she felt she could cry no more, she scrubbed her face and washed the bitter taste from her mouth. She quickly made a cup of hot tea and collapsed by her table. Her mind was overwhelmed as she sat staring at her brother's shrine. More than anything, she wished he was still here. In his arms she could find the comfort she so desperately needed. He wasn't here though...nobody was.

She would have to find the strength to stand on her own. All she was suffering from was a memory. A memory that was eight months old. Her sacrifice that day ensured everyone's survival; in that way she knew the pain she suffered was worth it.

Why did she even have to remember such a painful event? Perhaps Ichigo had been right to say she was better off not knowing about it.

Ichigo?

The cup nearly fell from her hands as she remembered the beginning of her dream. The stand-off with Aizen and the ensuing pain had overwhelmed everything else and nearly made her forget the events leading up to it. Once she had made her decision to confront Aizen she realized with finality that she would die. With Ichigo standing beside her, awake and unharmed, she gave into her selfish desires and in front of his mentors and father she kissed him and confessed her love.

Embarrassment flooded her system along with a small amount of relief for finally telling him how she felt. The blush that was working it's way on her cheeks abruptly ceased as she now realized he knew...he knew and had never said a word about it. He had never even acted like he knew. She couldn't remember a change in his behavior at all from the first few months after the end of the war.

He brushed her confession aside as if it was nothing to him.

The knowledge pierced her heart as if a dagger had been shoved into her chest. A different kind of pain now racked her body and her soul ached with it. All this time and he never once acknowledged her pouring out her heart to him. In fact, if she remembered correctly from when she was in the hospital he said "if you don't remember it's probably for the best."

What was that supposed to mean? Did he not want her to remember so he wouldn't have to reject her to her face?

All this time...all this time and he knew the depth of her feelings for him, yet he continued on his everyday life as if it had nothing to do with him. He let her continue to act like a fool around him, following him with her heart in her eyes and he just ignored it.

Orihime had never felt more betrayed in her life. She was always sure he would reject her feelings. That was mostly why she had never told him before, but to have him blatantly ignore them?

She felt the tears starting again. Her heart ached so much. Was everything a lie? He said he wanted to be there for her, told her to rely on him when she wasn't strong enough on her own, he said he wasn't in love with Rukia...

Were all those lies?

No, her mind stubbornly reminded her. Ichigo was a man who wanted to protect people, especially the people he cared for. Even if he rejected her feelings, she knew she was still one of his friends. His offer to help her through the difficult times she had was an honest one. Ichigo would never turn his back on a friend.

Perhaps she had been right to begin with the other night, when he jerked away from her the night she swore he was about to kiss her. Maybe he just got caught up in the moment and when he realized the horrible mistake he was about to make he came to his senses. She knew now the feelings of despair from that night were echos of the memory. When she kissed him before confronting Aizen, she was saying her final goodbye to the man she would always love. Being so close to him that night must have triggered those feelings.

Tears threatened to fall again as she felt the pain of rejection coursing through her. Though she knew it would be like this if she ever confessed, some small part of her always had a glimmer of hope. Hope that just maybe he could return the feelings. She laughed bitterly at the thought. She could be such a stupid woman sometimes. Stupid, useless, clumsy...all the things she could vaguely remember her father calling her. She wasn't worth loving.

"Orihime-sama, you've got to stop this."

"What Shun'o-kun?" she asked without bothering to look his way.

"This self-loathing, depressing attitude you've adopted. It's just not like you." he said.

"Maybe it should be." she muttered.

A tiny fist planted itself in her face and pushed her backwards on the floor. Her cup of tea went rolling out of her hands and she was glad it was nearly empty.

"Wha..."

"Now you listen here woman." Tsubaki began as he stared into her wide eyes. "I want you to stop this shit immediately."

"But Tusbaki-kun..."

"But nothing." he interrupted. "What you did against Aizen was brave and you should be proud of yourself!" he screamed at her. When he spoke again his voice was softer and more controlled. "I know it hurts and that memory probably always will. I know the strawberry bastard hurt you too, but dammit woman you are stronger than this! I couldn't belong to you if you weren't!"

Orihime stared into her fighters eyes for a long time. The confidence in his voice as he spoke was solid and truthful. She realized he was right. She **was** stronger than this. There was no way she was going to let a memory ruin her.

She survived the incident so she could damn well survive the memory. She tried to look on the bright side; this could only make her a stronger person.

_What about Ichigo? _

Ichigo...the man she was in love with. A man she knew, no matter what, she would love for the rest of her life. Was it even possible to move on from a love like this? She knew only time would tell. Perhaps, after the pain subsided, she would be able to construct some semblance of a life for herself. She didn't want to be alone forever. That prospect by itself was enough to have her hoping the wounds would close eventually.

What was the bright side to this? It took her a while to find an answer but when she did the first hint of a smile crossed her face.

At least she told him.

She didn't have to spend the rest of her life wondering what could have been. She was able to fully confess her feelings to him. Also, her first kiss was with the man she loved. It didn't matter that he didn't return it or that the circumstances weren't the best; the memory of her first kiss would always be Ichigo.

It wasn't as if he could control his feelings anymore than she could. She fell hopelessly in love with him and that wasn't something she could change. Ichigo was still a good man. A decent man who was loyal to those he loved and fought for what was right. The fact that he didn't love her hurt, it hurt so much but she couldn't force her feelings onto him. Yes, she was hurt by his indifference but she wouldn't stop being his friend.

One thing that also kept her from confessing was the thought that once she did, and he rejected her, their friendship would be ruined. It would be too awkward to be around each other and they would drift apart. She now realized that wasn't the case as their friendship was still strong almost a year after she told him how she felt. She didn't want to lose that bond with Ichigo, even if it meant she would suffer the continued pains of unrequited love.

She was a survivor. Her childhood had been horrible, she'd lost all the family she had, been kidnapped, beaten, and taunted by numerous people. Yet she came through it all and she would make it through this too. She wasn't going to be held back by her memories and emotions.

"Thank you Tsubaki-kun. Thank you everyone. I'm going to be okay. It's going to take time but I promise I will be okay."

"We know you will Orihime-sama. We have faith in you." Shun'o said with a smile and her powers returned to her hairpins. Orihime picked up the fallen cup and cleaned up what little tea spilled on the floor. She got comfortable in her futon before allowing herself to embrace her tears once again. She was going to work hard to get better...to get stronger; but right now, the pain and heartache were still so powerful inside her. She succumbed to her tears once again before making a promise to herself.

This would be the last time she cried over the pain Aizen caused...and Ichigo's rejection.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Ichigo tugged on the collar of his kimono as he stalked to the park. He could vaguely see the bright lights above the trees and hear the laughter coming from the Tanabata festival. Yuzu and Karin walked ahead of him, laughing at some joke between them. Yuzu turned back to ask him something and he tried his best to focus on her. All he really wanted to do was find Orihime, take her away from the festivities, and ask her what the hell was going on.

Ever since they got back from the beach she had been avoiding him. She swore she wasn't saying that she was just busy or ill but he knew it was bullshit. It all began that night he almost kissed her. If he didn't know her feelings he would say she was trying to avoid another situation like that one. Since he _knew_ she was in love with him that explanation didn't make any sense. Yet ever since that night things had been strained between them. Hell, he'd apologize for whatever was wrong but he just didn't fucking know!

He gave up calling her or trying to see her for now and simply made sure to ask Tatsuki if she would be at the festival. She assured him she would since it was her favorite. Ichigo resolved himself to find out what was bothering her tonight.

As they approached the park he could now see the hanging lanterns giving off their soft glow, breaching the darkness of the night. Colorful streamers hung from the trees swaying gently in the breeze. By the river, people were hanging their wishes on the trees lining the banks. The twins waved to him as they ran off towards their group of friends they spotted. Ichigo absently waved back while he began his search for the absent princess.

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Orihime eased her way through the throngs of people mulling around the park grounds. She caught the glances some of the men sent at her but she didn't even bother with their stares. Tatsuki was running late and bid her to go to the festival first, saying they could meet up there. Now, her gray eyes searched for the short black hair of her friend. A light breeze came through, rustling the soft fabric of her kimono.

She was proud of the purchase. While she was being frugal with her money, she had always wanted a pretty new kimono to wear to her favorite festival. This year she splurged and bought the one that caught her eye. Draping down her body, the soft white silk was offset by the beautiful red hibiscus flowers decorating the garment. A bright red obi was tied around her waist, elegantly knotted in the back. She'd decided to pull her hair up for the night and secured it with a beautiful pair of ivory chopsticks. Though the outfit had cost her more than she'd wanted to spend, she was happy with the results. Wearing the attractive kimono made her feel pretty and she needed that feeling now more than ever.

She purchased a stick of sweet dango at a nearby vendor and munched on it as she toured the grounds. Children laughed and ran around the park while the parents watched on, laughing in their own groups. She waved to a few acquaintances from school but continued on, not feeling the most sociable at the moment. While she was doing her best to get over the startling revelation of her memory, she was still deeply hurt by it and the knowledge of Ichigo's rejection. Since the full dream came to her nearly a week ago, she had not had a good night's sleep. Sometimes, she was simply too scared to sleep. Afraid that while her guard was down, the disturbing dreams would rush back in causing the slightly healed wounds to re-open.

"Orihime-chan!"

She turned at the voice and smiled a true smile at the joy written on Masaru's face as he ran to catch up to her.

"Good evening Masaru-san."

"Hey. How are you tonight Orihime-chan?"

"Good thank you. How are you?"

"Oh much better since I found you here." she blushed slightly at his words and the radiant smile he still held for her. She couldn't deny that Masaru was an attractive man. Especially tonight in his dark blue kimono with his black hair swept back from his face. The broadness of his shoulders was apparent in the thinly layered kimono and his green eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light. Why couldn't she fall for someone like him?

"Are you here with your family Masaru-san?"

He urged her to continue walking as the crowd became thick once more and fell into step beside her. "Yeah and some friends from school but when I saw you I had to come over." he smiled again showing his white teeth.

"Thank you for that but I don't want to keep you from your friends."

"They'll wait." The duo walked further towards the water where the crowd wasn't so thick. Orihime thought she saw a flash of orange hair before it disappeared from her vision. Just the sight was enough to make her heart clench.

"Orihime-chan?"

"Yes?" She looked up into his eyes. She saw a faint blush appear on his cheeks before he looked away briefly and took a slow, deep breath.

"I...I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now an I...I guess I should just come out and do it." she saw his hand clench by his side as he turned back to face her. "Orihime-chan, would you want to go out with me sometime?"

Her eyes blinked wide for a moment, staring unseeing into his own before the full weight of what he'd asked hit her. When it did, a bright blush lit up her cheeks before she tilted her head down. Masaru was a smart, attractive, nice man. The kind of man she would want to date but...she just couldn't do it yet. Ichigo still held her heart so strongly within his grasp that it wouldn't be fair to Masaru to take him up on his offer. If she was over Ichigo, if she was able to look at him without wanting to break into tears, she was pretty sure her answer would be yes. For now though...

"I'm sorry Masaru-san. I can't."

"Oh." That one word uttered by him was so dejected she felt tears pricking the corner of her eyes for causing that pain. She saw the forlorn look on his face and felt the need to explain further.

"I really wish I could Masaru-san. You really are a nice guy and actually I think it would be...umm...nice to go out with you." the last part was said almost in a whisper because of her embarrassment. "but it just wouldn't be fair to you. It's...it's just..."

"It's okay Orihime-chan. I understand."

"Eh?" she asked in confusion. Masaru now wore a sad, knowing smile on his face.

"There's someone else isn't there?"

A gasp escaped her lips. "H-h-how did you know?"

"I have four older sisters." he said with a laugh. "Growing up in a house full of women you learn to pick up on a few things."

"Oh." she smiled with him but it soon turned into a frown once more. "I'm really sorry Masaru-san."

"Don't be. You can't help the way you feel." A pain invaded her heart once again as he spoke aloud the very thoughts she had herself a week ago. "I really hope we can still be friends though."

"Oh I would like that so very much Masaru-san!"

"Thanks." his eyes swept the crowd, looking for his friends she assumed, before he turned to her once again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you mean what you said? About thinking it would be nice to go out with me?"

Her cheeks stained red once again. "Yes." she admitted with a whisper.

"Tell you what." he said, his former confidence now restored. "If it doesn't work out with the guy you like we can try going out then. Whaddya say to that?" he added with a smirk.

Orihime found herself laughing with him once again and agreeing to his proposal. It already wasn't working with the man she was in love with but she wasn't ready to put herself out there. She found herself hoping that when she was, Masaru would still be there.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Ichigo ground his teeth in frustration instead of snapping at his friends as they walked around the festival. Ishida and Chado found him easily enough, all they had to do was follow the whining voice of Keigo as Ichigo blatantly ignored his requests to participate in the silly games surrounding them. While he'd managed to find all his male friends, the one woman he was looking for was still missing. How long could it possibly take to find one beautiful woman in this damn crowd!

He saw Ishida alter his course slightly and he followed, hoping the Quincy had finally picked up on her reiatsu since he wasn't having any luck. Thankfully for the substitute, he did. As they descended the small hill he felt his breath catch at the vision she presented once again. With her hair pinned up, her long graceful neck showed itself to his hungry eyes. He found himself wanting nothing more than to run his lips across the expanse of it. Shaking his head slightly, he steeled himself of his inappropriate thoughts and walked closer to the friends standing near the trees.

"Oh hello Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Ichigo-kun." she said as she waved to them.

Something immediately struck Ichigo as odd. Though he couldn't place it, something in her greeting was different and it confused him.

"Good evening Inoue-san, Arisawa-san. Are you enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh very much. How about you Ishida-kun?"

"It's a passable time considering I'm in Kurosaki's company."

"Bastard."

"Dim wit."

"Children." Orihime's voice rang out in warning. "This is a festival. Can we not do this today please?"

The men looked away from each other to refrain from snapping at the other at her behest.

The group settled into a comfortable conversation as friends often do, though Ichigo still found Orihime's behavior to be a bit off. Not to anyone else, just towards him. While she would look at him if she was speaking to him, her gaze was averted the rest of time. She was standing on the other side of the group and made no effort to come closer to him. Added to the frustration he felt at her avoidance earlier in the week, he was about to snap. Finally, an opportunity for him to get her alone provided itself when the girls went to get paper for their Tanabata wishes.

"Ugh, there's no more paper in this bin." Tatsuki said in frustration.

Orihime smiled and pointed behind them. "Look Tatsuki-chan, I bet there's some paper at the next tree. I'll go check okay?"

"I'll come with you Orihime." Ichigo immediately said.

"N-no that's okay Ichigo-kun. I'll be fine."

"I'm coming anyway so let's go." he said and took off in the direction of the tree, not giving her another opportunity to refuse him.

Orihime reluctantly followed behind him. She had both seen and felt him watching her throughout the evening. Something was obviously on his mind and she could tell he wanted to talk to her. Unfortunately, she did not feel the same. She didn't know what to say to him yet. Should she tell him she remembers everything? That wasn't a good idea in her opinion. If she told him that and the subject of her confession came up, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle hearing his words of rejection in person. The last remnants of her strength would probably wither away with that and leave her a broken shell of a woman.

Should she just try to forget it ever happened like he seemed to? She also knew she couldn't do that. No matter how painful the memory was, there was no way she could ever forget it. The images and feelings were burned into her very core. Though painful, she would rebuild herself upon those scars and hopefully come out a stronger person.

All that left her with was to begin to pull herself away from Ichigo, at least in the romantic sense. No longer would she watch him with her heart bared for all to see. She wouldn't try to get as close to him as possible. From now on, she would treat him just as she did her other male friends. Because no matter what, he was still her friend and she didn't want to loose that.

"Orihime!"

"Huh?"

"You were spacing out again." Ichigo said reproachfully.

"I'm sorry. Were you saying something Ichigo-kun?"

Ichigo fixed his eyes on her face as he asked once again. "What's going on with you and don't say nothing. You've been acting differently all night and you were avoiding me earlier this week."

"I wasn't..."

"Yes. You. Were."

She paused at the fierce look he gave her. He was demanding answers and she would have to gently talk her way out of this. There was no way she was admitting what was really going on. She was too afraid of the consequences at this point.

"I'm sorry." she said again, not denying any of his accusations. She watched as the tension left his face. His eyes softened in concern as his hand came to rest on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Orihime. Please tell me what's going on. I want to help you."

The soft lull of his voice washed over her, and with it came pain. Why was he looking at her like that? If he would just quit caring so much it would be so much easier for her. The look in his eyes right then was so gentle and filled with so much emotion she felt that part of her heart want to hope again. She desperately pushed those feelings aside. He didn't love her. He'd already shown her that. If she could just get him to stop worrying about her so much her heart could begin to heal.

Taking a few deep breaths she gathered her strength and looked into his deep brown eyes once more.

"I told you I'm fine Ichigo-kun." she said with a small smile and humorless laugh. "Really, you do know I'm a big girl right? I can take care of myself you know." She smiled again and walked around him, effectively ending the conversation.

Ichigo stood in her wake utterly baffled by her behavior. Just when he figured out his feelings for the woman she goes off an starts acting weird on him. Everything wasn't adding up and it was confusing the hell out of him. Orihime had never talked to him like that. She had never brushed away his concerns as if they were nothing.

It hurt.

It hurt to see her not wanting his concern. Why would she act like that? What was she hiding?

A hundred questions ran through his mind but one was more prevalent than others.

_Just what the hell is going on?_


	12. Chapter 12

**September**

Orihime gasped for breath as the violent coughing spell ended leaving her throat burning with pain. She felt a cool rag being draped across her forehead and she could do nothing more than offer a weak smile in thanks to her best friend. She had been feeling bad for the past couple of days, but when she woke up that morning to get ready for the day a wave of nausea washed over her causing her to break out in a cold sweat. As the day wore on, the tickle that had been in the back of her throat grew into a violent cough that now had her ribs aching in pain. Food had no appeal to her and she shivered uncontrollably. Though she didn't want to admit it, she now had no choice but to agree with her friend.

She was most definitely sick.

Tatsuki called her earlier just to chat and noticed the raspy and tired quality to her voice. The first chance she had to leave the house had her running to Orihime's apartment. A little after lunchtime, Tatsuki arrived at the healer's home finding her wrapped in blankets in her futon. The beautiful red head was a pitiful sight to behold. Tatsuki did what she could for her but grew concerned at the rate her fever was rising.

She had been afraid Orihime was going to get sick.

For the past couple of weeks, Orihime was not looking like herself. Bags hung under her eyes from lack of sleep, her normal healthy appetite was reduced to picking at the small amount of food she would get, and a sadness seemed to hang around the usually happy woman. If Tatsuki didn't know better she would think something happened to her again. Not once had Orihime's presence disappeared though; Tatsuki was always sure to take note of it. There was no mistaking it though...Orihime was acting like she did at the start of the year. It wasn't as bad as last time but something was going on again.

She tried several times to ask the young woman what was wrong but she was always answered with vague responses of 'nothing'. Frustrated once again at not being able to help her friend herself, she wracked her brain at what to do.

She had to go to the dojo soon, as she was training for the assistant job she recently got, and couldn't skip work. There was no way she could leave Orihime in this state though.

The idea hit her out of nowhere. It would solve everything and she almost hit herself for not thinking of it sooner. There was one person she could rely on to help Orihime, especially if it was dealing with those creatures she had no power to fight.

Checking on Orihime again and finding her in a fitful sleep, she eased out of the apartment to dial a number that was all to familiar to her.

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* * *

Isshin reached above the light outside of Orihime's apartment, searching for the key Tatsuki said would be there. When his son's friend called she first asked for Ichigo. After he told her Ichigo was out, he was surprised when she said she needed to talk to him as well. Though he'd known the young woman most of her life she never called just to chat with him.

Her reasons became clear once she said Orihime was sick. He told the young fighter to have her drop by the clinic but apparently that wasn't possible. She begged him to come check on her. That he had no problem doing. He liked the shy young woman. He also knew she didn't really have anyone to rely on to help her if she was hurt or sick, so he was more than happy to make the house call.

"Hello? Orihime-chan?" he called as he let himself into the apartment. No one called back in greeting so he closed the door behind him and went in search of the young woman. He walked towards the back of the apartment, where he assumed her bedroom would be. Calling out another greeting as he rounded the corner, he saw her sleeping on the futon.

"Orihime-chan? How are you feeling?" he asked as he knelt beside her. A groan was all she answered with and his concern went up a notch. Pulling the now dry rag from her forehead he ran his hand along her skin and was shocked at the heat coming from her body.

"Orihime-chan, wake up." he called louder, now gently shaking her shoulders. She groaned at the disturbance but did manage to open her eyes. "Orihime-chan can you hear me?"

"Kurosaki-san? What are you doing here?" she asked weakly.

"Tatsuki-chan called me and I'm glad she did! How long have you been sick?" he asked while checking her pulse at her wrist.

Her eyes closed as she scrunched her face in concentration. "A couple of da..." she broke off as coughs wracked her body once again.

"Do you hurt anywhere?"

"Everywhere." she wheezed as the coughs passed. "I just feel so bad."

"Mmm...I bet you do." Isshin replied as he took his stethoscope out of his pocket and listened to her lungs. He was pretty sure she had the flu but he'd have to test her back at his clinic. She feel asleep again as he was examining her, leaving him unable to tell her what he was about to do. Shrugging his shoulders in indifference he stood and walked to her closet. He wasn't about to let Orihime stay here as sick as she was with no one to watch over her. Some loose pajamas and underwear were all he packed into her book bag.

He swallowed the small pill he was glad he thought to bring and instructed the mod soul in his body to take the bag and go back to the clinic. It was a bit more risky to take her back home in the day, but he was fast enough that no one should be able to see her body flying across the rooftops. He gently scooped her feverish form into his arms before setting off for his clinic.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

* * *

"Old man!" Ichigo yelled as he walked through the house. He knew his father was there; he could feel his reiatsu.

"Back here son!" he heard him call from the clinic area. Grumbling under his breath about his irritating father, Ichigo trudged towards his voice.

"Put on a mask before you come in here." his father called from beyond the door.

"Forget it! I'll just see you when you come out!" he called back.

"Ichigo, just put the mask on."

Once again cursing his father under his breath, Ichigo put on the mask. Adjusting it so his mouth and nose were adequately covered, he entered the clinic's doors. He blinked several times to make sure the image in front of him was real. When the vision of Orihime laying on the bed didn't disappear, he bristled in anger and concern.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded loudly.

"Would you be quiet! She needs to rest." his father replied.

Ichigo stomped over to her bedside where his father was replacing the cooling pack over her forehead. "She's got the flu and it's a pretty bad case of it. Her fever's high and I just got her back to sleep after she took some antivirals so don't go bothering her."

Ichigo nodded silently as he watched her sleep. Sweat was beading along her temples and her breathing was fast and harsh. The sight of her lying sick in bed was so hard for him to see. Once again he had to watch her in pain and there was nothing he could do to help her. He hated feeling helpless yet there was nothing he could do in this situation.

Almost a week had passed since the last time he'd seen or spoken to her. Though she smiled when she said hello it still seemed so different than her normal greetings. She wasn't acting the same around him anymore and it bothered him considerably. He wanted so badly to know what was going on but she wasn't talking.

He sighed heavily and tried to erase those thoughts from his mind for now. What mattered most right then was her getting better. His father was an idiot most of the time but Ichigo knew he was a good doctor. He was glad she was here.

"Oto-san?" they heard Yuzu call from the other room.

"I'm gonna go tell the girls Orihime-chan's here and see if Yuzu could make her some soup. You gonna stay here?" Isshin asked as he watched his son.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied absently. Isshin was glad the mask hid his grinning face. Though he wasn't pestering his son about it right now, he had sensed a change in the way Ichigo spoke about Orihime recently. Even now, his son wasn't looking at him when he spoke; his every attention was focused on the beautiful woman lying on the bed. Isshin grinned again as he let himself out of the room. He could already envision the adorable bright haired grandchildren he would have one day.

Ichigo heard the door close behind his father as he left the room so he dropped the last guard he had in place. Sitting bedside her bed, he allowed his hand to brush the hair back from her face gently. She mumbled incoherently but turned her face into the hand lying against her heated flesh. Ichigo's eyes softened as he gazed at the woman who was coming to mean so much to him. His other hand slipped into her own, curling lightly around her slim fingers.

"Get better soon Orihime." he whispered into the empty room.

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* * *

Every muscle in her body screamed its protest as she struggled to sit up in bed. When she finally managed to get herself to a seated position, her vision swam with the dizziness that assaulted her. She kept her eyes closed tight as she drew in slow deep breaths until it subsided. Though she couldn't remember much since Tatsuki left her, she recognized the room she was lying in. It had been a very long time since she saw the eggshell colored walls and neatly lined canisters on the counters but there was no denying her memory.

She was definitely in the Kurosaki clinic.

She tried to stand but her legs began shaking the moment she placed her weight on them and she dropped back into the bed. A heavy sigh passed her lips as she realized she would be helpless for a while longer. Looking around the room she noticed she was alone. She was glad for the solitude; she needed time to get her bearings if she was in Ichigo's house.

Lately, things had been going well with her plan to act like nothing more than friends with Ichigo. It still hurt her every time she saw him but she was able to keep the smile on her face whenever she spoke to him. His actions were the ones confusing her now. More often than not, he found some way to be near her. If he wasn't close to her than his eyes were on her. She would catch him watching her, but unlike before when he would turn away and avoid her gaze, he now stubbornly held her eyes, a myriad of emotions swirling within his deep brown orbs.

She took another deep breath and forced herself not to think about any of that. If she was here in his house she would have to be ready to face him with a friendly smile and not her love sick heart dangling for the world to see.

The sound of soft footsteps approaching had her swiveling her head towards the door. She was relieved to see Kurosaki-san behind it.

"Orihime-chan, I'm glad to see you up." his voice carried to her through the mask he wore around his face.

She had to clear her throat a few times before she could get her voice to work. When she did speak, her voice was raspy and pain still laced through her raw throat. "Thank you Kurosaki-san. How long was I asleep for?"

"Off and on all day." he replied as he pulled out a bottle of pills from the cabinet. "I woke you up every few hours to give you more medicine and you would go right back to sleep. How are you feeling?"

"Better." she replied. "But I still feel sore and weak."

He chuckled lightly. "You will for a while. You've got a pretty bad case of the flu and I've been trying to keep your fever down since I found you. Here take these." he said holding out a small cup with four pills in it. "It's more antivirals and Tylenol."

Orihime managed to swallow the pills but couldn't keep the grimace off her face from the pain it caused.

"I'm gonna bring you some broth to eat. Now I know you probably don't feel like eating but you need some food in your system."

She nodded in agreement and watched him leave the room once again. It was a struggle for her to rearrange herself on the bed and by the time he was back with the broth, she felt worn out from just that small amount of moving. She whispered her thanks for the broth and began sipping at the warm liquid. Food was the last thing she wanted at the moment but she also knew Kurosaki-san was right and did her best to drink it.

"Thank you very much for everything Kurosaki-san." she whispered in between sips of the broth.

"You're very welcome Orihime-chan." he said with a bright smile. As he watched the healer he took more notice of the small nuances that were different in her character. Though he didn't know the young woman that well, he had been in her company enough to know the absence of her bright cheerful attitude was odd. The bags under her eyes were definitely the product of more than missing a couple days rest, and she looked to have lost weight. Isshin knew nothing had happened in the way of hollow attacks lately that could cause the tension he easily saw hovering around the young woman. Earlier, while she was sleeping off the fever from the flu, she whimpered in what seemed to be fear and pain in her dreams. Thanks to his ever present nosiness into his sons life, he knew Orihime had problems adjusting right after the war. He overheard the conversation his son had, with who he assumed to be Tatsuki, on the phone at the beginning of the year.

Everything seemed fine lately but was it possible her nightmares were bothering her again? Maybe he should talk to Ichigo. He was sure if she would talk to anyone, it would be his son.

A knock on the door sounded just before Ichigo walked in. "Hey Orihime. How are you feeling?"

Isshin saw the slight flinch the young lady made the moment his son walked in. She did a great job hiding it but he caught the small moment she seemed to curl in on herself when Ichigo called out her name. Her head remained down a moment longer and she took a deep breath before her face rose with a gentle smile on it.

"Hello Ichigo-kun. I'm feeling somewhat better thank you." her raspy voice said.

Isshin watched the two interact very carefully. Ichigo now seemed to be the one watching her as she spoke. His eyes were totally focused on her and he sat close to the bedside as they talked. Orihime would glance his way every now and then but mostly she kept her eyes on her hands. While she answered any question he asked, she didn't elaborate on anything nor did she gesticulate as she usually did. He was coming to an awful conclusion that he needed to verify with the young woman.

Isshin was about to send Ichigo out on a random errand so he could speak with her when she managed to get rid of both of them.

"I'm sorry Ichigo-kun, Kurosaki-san but I'm still really sleepy." she said almost shyly.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry about that Orihime. You need your rest. Just call me if you need anything okay?" Ichigo said with sincerity as he stood up and made his way to the door quickly. "I just want you to feel better."

Isshin nodded to Orihime as he followed his son out of the room. He would have to find another opportunity to speak with her.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

* * *

Though she had been mostly lying when she told Ichigo she was tired earlier, she fell asleep almost immediately after they left. Her mind was wired but her body still demanded rest. She woke up a long time later, noticing the light filtering in through the window. It took a while but she managed to make it out of bed and to the small washroom in the corner of the room. She took care of her necessities and walked around the room for a few minutes.

Her body still ached but it was nothing like what she experienced the past couple of days. She had barely coughed since she woke up and, surprisingly, she was a little hungry. All of this was excellent news for her. If she could convince Kurosaki-san she was better she would be able to go home. Not that long ago the prospect of staying in Ichigo's home, whether it was in the clinic or not, would have made her giggle with extreme happiness.

Now it only brought her pain.

She wasn't mentally prepared yet to spend so much time around him. The pain was still too raw and she wasn't sure if she could focus on simply being his friend right now if she had to spend hours in his presence. Orihime knew she had to get herself ready for this though. School would be starting back in two weeks and she would be near him all day long. There was no way she could falter in her attitude towards him. She recognized the fact that Tatsuki-chan would already be suspicious about her behavior.

She would have to figure out something to tell Tatsuki-chan eventually. Whenever she stopped always trying to be around Ichigo or throwing him the looks she knew she always had, Tatsuki-chan would start asking questions. She also knew she couldn't tell her the truth. There was no way she could look her best friend in the eye and tell her she had willingly decided to die in order to save everyone. She couldn't tell her the pain she went through when she ripped the hogyoku out of Aizen's body. Tatsuki-chan's face when she saw her in the hospital was one Orihime never wanted to see on her again.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Orihime-chan?" Isshin asked as he came in, without a mask this time.

"Hello Kurosaki-san. Umm...shouldn't you have a mask on?"

"No, you've been on the antivirals for a few days now and I've already had a flu shot." he said as he came to sit beside her.

Orihime was a little nervous at the look he was giving her. He wasn't acting like his usual exuberant self and it was a little disconcerting. She sat up straighter in the bed and continued to meet his more serious, yet still very kind gaze.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Much better. I can't thank you enough for helping me Kurosaki-san. I apologize for any inconvenience I've placed on you or your family and I hope you will please tell me what I can do to repay you." she said with her head bowed slightly.

"Nonsense Orihime-chan. You've been no trouble what so ever! And really, what kind of man, or physician, would I be if I didn't help such a wonderful person like you?" his usual grin was in place as he said this. She smiled back at him, and just as she began to relax again he asked his next question.

"Is there something bothering you Orihime-chan?"

She stiffened slightly and looked away. Was she really acting so differently that even Kurosaki-san suspected something?

"N-no, no...I'm fine Kurosaki-san."

She heard him sigh and peeked through her lashes at him. He leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs comfortably.

"You know Orihime-chan, I actually do understand what you've been through. I know how it is after you've seen and participated in intense battles. It's easier for everyone in Soul Society. They can talk openly to each other. They can go out and drink and laugh and help each other forget about all the nasty shit they've seen. I can't imagine how hard it's been for you guys. All of the sudden realizing that such things as ghosts and hollows exist. Having these new powers thrust onto you and learning how to use them. And you Orihime-chan." he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. "Being kidnapped and taken to Hueco Mundo. Being alone in the presence of someone like Aizen. It's okay to be scared ya know."

Orihime had her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and her chest tightened with the need to cry. He was right. Everything he said was right. But what could she do about it? The memories were there and nothing could take them away. Every time she closed her eyes she was so afraid she would see Aizen's face and feel the horrible pain run through her body.

What could she possibly do about it?

"Orihime-chan," he said softly, "talk to me. Please. These are things that you shouldn't let bottle up inside you. Trust me, I know from experience." she remained silent sitting in the bed. "If it would make you feel better, I could ask Ichigo to come in and..."

"No." she whispered.

"What?"

"No." she spoke more firmly this time. "I can't talk to Ichigo-kun about it."

"Then can you talk to me? You _are_ my patient, that makes anything we talk about confidential."

She glanced at his pleading face and felt the sorrow welling up inside her. She really shouldn't talk about it with Kurosaki-san; he was Ichigo's father for kami's sake...but...she didn't know who else to turn to. After everything he said she felt the need to unload all her worries and fears and his eyes were pleading with her to open up to him. She felt the tears break loose and streak down her face.

"I remember."

"Remember what Orihime-chan?" he asked.

"Everything. Meeting you as a shinigami, pulling the hogyoku away from Aizen, the p-pain," she was crying openly at this point. "Finally telling Ichigo how I felt. Everything." her head dropped into her hands as her sobs overtook her.

Isshin's heart absolutely wept for the beautiful woman that was breaking in front of him. He got behind her in the bed and scooped her into his arms. He shifted around until he had her sitting sideways in his lap and he held her tightly as she cried. Her fists curled into his shirt as her tears soaked into the fabric. Now he knew he had made the right decision to call Urahara to keep Ichigo busy for a while. The twins were out with their friends so the house would be empty for a few hours.

He knew from the way Orihime interacted with his son the day before that there was a high probability she had regained her memories. Thinking about it from her perspective, she probably thought Ichigo was rejecting her and that's why her attitude towards his son had changed. He knew nothing had happened from Ichigo's end. His son was acting infatuated with the girl but didn't give off any signs that he'd spoken to her about it yet.

Orihime began mumbling against his chest through her sobs. She told him about the nightmares she was having again, reliving the pain she suffered when she destroyed the hogyoku.

He remembered that scene all too well. That was one memory he fervently wished she didn't recall.

As her great sobs subsided she began talking about her time in Hueco Mundo. It seemed that once she got started, every experience...every emotion began pouring out of her. Isshin stroked her hair as he would his daughters while she recalled the horrors she witnessed...and went through.

At one point, she began speaking about Ichigo fighting some Arrancar named Ulquiorra. His arms unconsciously tightened around the distressed girl as she spoke about his horrible battle. She reached a point when she just began apologizing over and over and it took him a great deal of time and patience to wait for her to explain. In a voice so quiet he would have missed it had he not been concentrating on her, she spoke about his son dying.

Isshin forced himself to remember that Ichigo was alive and well.

He was not dead.

He had woken his son up that very morning in their usual fashion.

She continued on with her tale, unaware of the brief heart attack she had given him. Apparently he had his son's hollow to thank for his life being spared. The strength she spoke of him having was incredible; though it was also horrible at the same time. Her voice became almost numb while she spoke about the events. When he glanced down at her, he saw her eyes were open and unfocused. She was seeing the battle all over again as she described it to him. He could only imagine the horror she felt, watching his son, the man she confessed to being in love with, die then arise as a horrifying monster cutting down everything in it's path.

How this girl had not suffered a nervous breakdown already was beyond him.

She settled down and he thought she was finally through with the heavy burdens she had been carrying around.

Unfortunately she wasn't.

When she spoke about remembering confessing to his son and now realizing he had known for so many months how she felt, she began crying again. Apparently she had felt this way about Ichigo for a long time and she believed he had ignored her feelings completely, silently giving her his rejection. Now Isshin was in a position he didn't know how to deal with.

Ichigo was his son. He would support his son in whatever he did but his parenting towards his oldest child wasn't exactly the 'hands on' kind. Ichigo had been giving much more freedom to do as he pleased and Isshin had never felt the need to step in and stop him from doing anything. Masaki's death had turned his child into a much more serious person and Ichigo rarely did anything to cause problems. Well, in the living world at least. Their conversations were about mundane things, unless Isshin was teasing his horribly shy son, and he was sure they would probably never speak openly about anything serious. Ichigo's life was his own and who he chose to be with was something Isshin had no say in.

He warned him at the hospital when she woke up.

Isshin knew better than his emotionally immature son how the female mind worked. Not to say he understood them all that well; Masaki always kept him guessing. Though his son might not have felt anything other than friendship for the young woman crying in his lap in the beginning, he could tell that had definitely changed over the course of the year. Unfortunately for his son, he wasn't sure Orihime would be open to hearing anything about his feelings now. She knew he had ignored her feelings this whole time. How could she not feel saddened and betrayed by it?

On the other hand, he worried about Orihime. The woman had went through hell and was in so much pain. She helped his daughters out in a way he never could and the twins had developed a great liking for the healer. Urahara told him Orihime was the main reason Ichigo rarely came home in bandages, even with as much fighting as he did. This woman had somehow managed to capture a piece of the heart of every Kurosaki family member. She was so gentle and kind; it made him want to protect her from all harm.

Where the hell did that leave him with trying to help her, especially with the problem of his angry child?

"I'm so sorry Kurosaki-san. I shouldn't have unloaded all of my problems onto you like that." she said and tried to pull away from him.

Isshin held tight to her and simply made her relax against his chest once again. He felt her arms go around him and he continued to stoke her hair as he spoke.

"It's okay Orihime-chan. You needed to get all of that out of your system. Maybe now you can actually start to deal with all the pain."

He heard her sigh heavily. "I hope you're right Kurosaki-san. It wasn't this bad when we first got back. Yes, I still had nightmares then and got scared easily, but something about this memory makes me so afraid to even try to sleep."

"It's gonna take time but I promise it can and will get better Orihime-chan. If you ever need to unload again I want you to come to me. Talking about your problems helps you deal with the stress and pain they cause. That's why people go to therapists. However, if you went to one and began telling him what was actually bothering you I have no doubt they'd lock you up in a padded cell somewhere." he chuckled and was relieved to hear a small laugh come from her. "So anytime you need to talk you come to me. Promise me?"

"I don't want to cause you any trouble Kurosaki-san." she replied meekly.

Isshin pulled back from her enough to look into her tear glazed eyes. "Orihime-chan, you are not causing any trouble." he said sternly. "Think of it as a physician helping his patient if you have to."

She finally nodded her agreement and he smiled his normal goofy smile for her.

"Good. Now come back here. You need to sleep again." he said as he pulled her against his chest. She went without hesitation and fell into the warmth his arms held. His hands continued to stroke her back and hair as she laid within his arms. A nostalgic feeling came over her.

"This feels like it did with onii-chan." she admitted.

"Mmmm...I'm sure it does." he said against her hair. "All fathers' hugs feel like this... and I've always got room for one more daughter."

* * *

It was amazing really, what being able to sleep did for a person's mind. As she walked to school, Orihime found herself not apprehensive about the upcoming day. While she hadn't been very fond of the idea to begin with, she wound up taking the sleeping pills Kurosaki-san gave her when she left the clinic a week ago. After an entire week of actually sleeping at night, Orihime had a more positive outlook on this new school year.

She once dreaded the notion that she would have to go to school every day and be in such close quarters with Ichigo. Now, she was simply going to enjoy being around her friends and work hard to keep her grades up in school. While she was still trying to decide what to do with her life, she knew she had to keep top marks in order to get a scholarship for college. If she didn't get one, there would be no way she could afford to continue her studies.

Ichigo would still be in her classes and she couldn't avoid that. Truth be known she didn't want to. He was her friend and she just wanted to learn how to be friends with him without her feelings getting in the way.

Talking with Kurosaki-san had helped. Letting out all of the fear, guilt, and sadness she was bottling inside lifted a weight off her shoulders. The nightmares had lessened considerably and she rarely woke up afraid anymore.

She waved to a few fellow classmates as she walked into the familiar hallways of her school. Everyone was huddled around in groups discussing what they did on their summer vacations. She walked into her homeroom class and was glad to see Tatsuki already at her desk in the back. Orihime turned go to towards her best friend but saw her other friends out of the corner of her eye. With a casual wave of her hand, she called out a greeting to them all.

"Good morning Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Ichigo-kun."

She didn't linger around but went straight to Tatsuki.

She never noticed Ichigo's narrowed gaze nor the tightening of his fists as he spun around and ignored the buzz around him.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Ichigo dealt with it for a full week before he'd had enough.

He'd questioned her before, several times as a matter of fact, and continued to get no answers from her. This difference in her attitude was no longer worrying him...it was pissing him off.

She'd say good morning, then would rush over to her group of girl friends.

She'd talk with them as a group after school, but if Ichigo was alone she would simply wave goodbye to him and rush off.

Hell, he'd even went to her job once. She greeted him with that smile that was never quite as large as it used to be, and asked him what he wanted. As soon as he ordered she quickly gave it to him before turning onto another customer. He sat at a table and enjoyed his treat, waiting patiently for a chance to talk to her. As soon as he would see an opening she would ask another worker to man the counter and she would go into the back to bake something. Ichigo would have written it off as her doing her job had he not seen her cut her eyes to him quickly, as if to see if he was still there.

Was she playing some kind of fucking game with him? He was tempted to ask Mizuiro what he thought of the situation but quickly banished that idea.

All he knew was her constant avoidance of him was really pissing him off. If he upset her then she needed to tell him so he could apologize. He couldn't recall doing so but he was fresh outta ideas at this point.

Ichigo watched as she waved goodbye to Tatsuki and made her way to her own apartment. School was over and he knew she wasn't working today so now was the best time to talk to her. He picked up his speed until he was only a few feet away from her.

"Orihime." he called out.

He saw the slight stiffening of her shoulders as his voice registered in her head. She was slow to turn around and greet him and when she did, that fake smile was back on her face. For whatever reason that smile pissed him off even more.

"Oh, hello Ichigo-kun. What are you doing here? You're house is the other way."

"I know which direction my house is Orihime. I want to talk to you."

A shadow passed over her face before she quickly schooled her features and plastered that fake grin on again. "Sorry Ichigo-kun, but I have a lot to do today. I should be going." she turned to leave again but he caught her wrist and spun her to face him.

"This won't take long." he bit out harshly.

"What do you want Ichigo-kun?" she said with a sigh.

He was momentarily shocked at the almost defeated tone of her voice but he pressed on. "I want to know why you've been acting like this."

"Like what?" she asked innocently.

"Don't even try that. You've been avoiding me for almost two months now and don't try to say you haven't been." he said quickly as she opened her mouth to interrupt. "You've been acting differently but only towards me and I've had enough of it. Now I want you to tell me what the fuck I did to deserve this?" he cringed inwardly at how harsh he sounded. Yes, he was mad but he had no intention of scaring her into telling him. He didn't want her upset or afraid of him; he just wanted things back to the way they used to be. He wanted _her_ back.

"Please Orihime," he began, much softer than before. "Please just tell me what I did and I'll fix it."

Her eyes lifted to meet his and he was not prepared for the look she gave him. He'd seen her laugh, he'd seen her cry...but he had never seen the anger that she was showing him now. Her beautiful gray eyes were narrowed slightly as she stared back at him. His own eyes widened as she pulled her wrist from his grasp. Orihime's eyes lost some of their anger and a sad look came upon her face.

"Nothing Ichigo. That's what you did...nothing."

He could only, once again, stare at her back as she walked off.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so please have faith in me! I know how this may look right now but please stick with me through this and I promise we'll get there. **

**There is so much hurt laying between the two of them and I don't want to rush things. Just remember, this is an Ichi/Hime fic so bear with me through it all PLEASE!**

**Oh, and another thing, it actually takes like 7 days on antivirals before you aren't contagious with the flu anymore but I needed to rush that one little bit along. **

**Thank you all for your reviews and I really hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Please review and let me know what you think. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay let me just start by saying that I have the most amazing readers out there! I love each and every one of you!**

**Thank you so much for your support, your reviews, and favs/alerts. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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* * *

**October**

Ichigo sat with his back against the building allowing the cooling winds to blow over his frame. He heard the mundane conversation going on around him but he chose to ignore it. He could see her...just through the spaces of the railing he could see her bright auburn hair blowing gently in the breeze. The strands would lift upwards with the wind and caress the side of her face gently before she would push them away. A happier smile than he had seen in a while was plastered on her face.

Three weeks had passed since he confronted her after school, demanding to know what was going on. Ever since she turned her back on him with that parting 'nothing' he had been unable to face her again. The anger and sadness that rolled off her that day confused him to no end but he couldn't deny the fact that it was most definitely aimed at him. For days on end he racked his brain over every little thing he had done or said to the healer over the past couple of months but nothing that would cause this change in her came to mind. Whatever slight he had made against her was grievous enough to bring up the small amount of anger she held inside her. And for that alone he decided to back off.

Now, as he watched her smiling and laughing with her friends, he felt a small emptiness developing within him.

He never knew how much he loved her smiles until she took them away from him.

He never knew how much he loved the sound of her laughter until she met him only with silence.

He never knew how lonely it could be until she turned away from him.

Ichigo propped his knee up and rested his arm against it. His sigh was heavy but was thankfully carried off by the gust of wind that swept across the rooftop. It wouldn't be good for his reputation for him to be caught gazing down at the beautiful woman eating her lunch but he couldn't stop himself from looking at her. The only time he got to see her lately was in school and even then she only exchanged pleasantries with him. A hollow attack would be great right about now. At least he could see her after school and maybe under the pressure of fighting she would talk to him again. Unfortunately, or maybe for the poor earth bound spirits it was a good thing, there had not even been an attack in the past month.

The anger he held at her avoidance of him had long since fizzled out until he was left with a host of other emotions he didn't want to begin to deal with.

"Ichigo!"

He whipped his head around to find his lunch time companions all staring at him oddly.

"Huh? Whatdya want Keigo?"

"I was calling you forever! You never pay attention to me." his friend said and crossed his arms with a pout developing on his face.

Ichigo was in no mood to put up with Keigo's antics and simply ignored him. "What's up Chado?"

"Don't know." his silent friend replied.

"Well as interesting as this all is I'm going back inside." Ishida said before standing and brushing his uniform off. "Try not to daydream through your next class Kurosaki."

"Fuck off Ishida."

Ishida merely raised his eyebrows at Ichigo's comment. There was no heat behind the words; in fact, it almost seemed to be thrown out as an after thought. Ichigo had once again turned away from the group on the roof to gaze out at the landscape. At least, that's what he appeared to be doing. Ishida watched closely and could see Ichigo's eyes dart downward in order to catch glimpses of the girls laughing below them. A somber look came upon his face and for once, Ishida felt badly for the substitute. He had noticed the changes in Inoue's reactions towards Ichigo but he wasn't sure what brought them about. From speaking with Sado, he hadn't heard about or seen what could have caused them either.

Ishida turned away from the brooding man and made his way towards his next classroom. It was not in his nature to involve himself in someone else personal problems and he wouldn't do so this time. Though the substitute shinigami was brash by nature, he couldn't see him doing something that would have hurt Inoue. As long as she was fine, Ishida had no intentions of speaking to Ichigo.

If he came to him that would be a different matter.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Sado watched as the last of his classmates made their way back inside while Ichigo continued to sit in the same spot he'd occupied all through lunch. Both he and Ishida had noticed something very off about his and Inoue's behavior a few weeks ago but neither could understand what happened.

Inoue was his friend and he'd trained with her many times but he wasn't confident enough to ask her what was going on between her and Ichigo. He also wasn't sure he would know how to reply even if she answered him.

He and Ichigo were able to understand each other without speaking so much about what was going on. Ever since he'd met the bright haired man, Sado had felt a strong bond with him. This time however, Sado was at a loss about what to do. A strong sense of longing was radiating from Ichigo and he knew it was directed at their bubbly friend. This would normally not be a problem but Inoue hadn't been acting the same around Ichigo for a while.

He'd noticed her feelings about Ichigo a long time ago. The way she spoke about him, the devotion she showed in following him, the unshed tears she would always have in her eyes every time he was injured...Sado had always known she was in love with him.

He knew Ichigo didn't know. His interactions with Inoue were always friendly and nothing more. While he had always shown a fierce protectiveness about their friend, nothing else he did showed any indication that he held special feelings for her. Sado knew this hurt Inoue but she never let that stop her. She was always giving one hundred percent in their training, saying she had to be stronger to help protect everyone, to protect Ichigo.

Whatever happened had drastically changed her attitude. No longer was Ichigo's the first name she shouted hello to in the mornings. She didn't run to his desk to talk with him any longer. Her interactions with him were purely friendly. Sado wanted to think that if Inoue had confessed to Ichigo he would've shared that information with him. That couldn't be the case though. If Inoue had told Ichigo how she felt then why would he be the one looking so dejected?

He knew if he asked Ichigo he wouldn't get a truthful answer right now. There were simply too many emotions and too many questions rolling across his best friends face for even himself to understand what was going on. Regardless of that, he wanted to help. He couldn't do much but hopefully he could ease his friends suffering a little bit.

"Ichigo."

"Yeah Chado?" his friend answered without turning around.

"Do you have plans for this weekend?"

"No."

"Let's go do something then."

Ichigo finally turned to look at his friend. "Yeah, alright then. You got anything in mind?"

--

* * *

Tatsuki watched her best friend carefully as they walked home from school. Though she was looking much better than she had in weeks she still wasn't acting like her old self. Sure, she was laughing and smiling again and even the airhead moments she had still happened but Tatsuki couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had changed within Orihime. She'd tried to pinpoint it for days but couldn't discover the source of her problem. With nothing else to do but ask, she looked around to make sure they were alone before beginning.

"Orihime?"

"Yes Tatsuki-chan."

"Now I know what you're first answer to this is gonna be so I want you to just forget that and we can skip all the 'me pushing you until you answer' bit we have to go through sometimes."

Orihime looked at her friend in confusion. "What are you talking about Tatsuki-chan?"

Tatsuki sighed heavily before pulling her friend to sit on a nearby bench. "I want to know what's going on with you." Orihime immediately opened her mouth to answer but Tatsuki held up a hand to stop her. "I told you to skip this part."

Orihime closed her mouth and leaned back against the bench in defeat. Tatsuki had known she would tell her nothing was wrong. She knew this moment was coming...had told herself to prepare for it...yet she still didn't know what to say.

"Orihime, I know something is wrong. Hell, something's been wrong for a while but at least the worst of it seems to be over."

"Huh?"

"A few weeks ago you started acting like you did when you first got back from...there." Tatsuki finished her sentence in a whisper. She still didn't know what to call whatever hell Orihime had been in and was reluctant to even bring it up. The last thing she wanted to do was remind Orihime about the trauma she'd been through. "It took a while but you've finally started smiling again, but something's still off."

Orihime stared into her friend's worried eyes and struggled with herself. She wanted to relieve her friend's fears but she also couldn't tell her what happened. Even though Tatsuki could see the hollows and shinigami, Ichigo, Sado, and Ishida agreed it would be better that the less they knew the better. While Tatsuki and a few others knew their friends held some sort of powers, it wouldn't be in their best interest to know the intricacies of what they went through. The long battles, horrible wounds, and fights to the death weren't something any of them wanted their friends to be burdened with.

From that standpoint alone Orihime couldn't divulge the truth to her friend. Also, she knew how much Tatsuki cared for Ichigo. They had been friends nearly their whole lives and Orihime knew Tatsuki really respected Ichigo. How could she possibly tell her he had broken her heart?

"I'm sorry Tatsuki-chan. I never meant to worry you."

"Never mind that. Tell me what's going on. Is...is it something or...someone I should know about?"

By the way Tatsuki said it Orihime knew she wasn't meaning anyone human. Orihime was able to smile at her in response to that question. "No Tatsuki-chan. There's nothing like that going on right now."

Tatsuki breathed a sigh of relief and slouched back into the bench. "Well that's good to know. But Orihime, if that isn't what's wrong then what is?"

Orihime chewed on her bottom lip softly while she contemplated what to tell her best friend.

"I have noticed some thing's ya know."

Orihime looked at her in question.

"You've changed around Ichigo." Orihime couldn't keep the shocked look off her face. "You're not acting like you used to around him. Did he do something?" she said while tightening her fist.

Orihime knew the look in her eye and rushed to reassure her friend. "Of course not Tatsuki-chan. He's been nothing but appropriate to me." Tatsuki relaxed some but continued to watch her closely. Orihime dropped her head a bit before giving her the only answer she could. "Tatsuki-chan...I guess I've just decided to give up."

"What?"

"I finally realized that Ichigo-kun is never going to love me the way I love him." Orihime took a deep breath and desperately fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I don't want to be alone forever Tatsuki-chan. I want to be able to have a family someday. I want to be able to love my children the way a mother is supposed to." Tatsuki gripped her friends hand as her words flowed out. "I've just grown up, that's all. I'm giving up on childish dreams."

"Orihime..."

"It's okay Tatsuki-chan. I'm fine. It's...it's just gonna take some getting used to."

Tatsuki drew her friend into her arms and hugged her tightly. She knew how much Orihime loved Ichigo so for her to come to this decision could not have been an easy task. Ichigo...kami, why did he have to be such an idiot! It's not like she could even be mad at him. If he didn't feel the same way about Orihime then there wasn't anything she could do. She knew how much he cared about her and he always protected her...as a friend. He didn't do anything wrong so she had to let the matter go.

Still, the pain her best friend was going through hurt her so much. She wished she could take it away from her.

"That's it. I'm dropping out of the competition."

Orihime drew back from the fighter with wide eyes. "Absolutely not Tatsuki-chan! You've been practicing for this for months!"

"That doesn't matter Orihime. You're hurting right now and I know you need a friend. There'll be another competition soon; I can just try out in that one."

"No, I'm not going to let you do that."

"Orihime I'll be gone for two weeks!"

Orihime's eyes hardened and she shook her finger at her friend. "I said no Tatsuki-chan. You have to go to this. It's an important competition and you have to go win it." She dropped her hand and softened her face. "I'll be fine. You shouldn't worry about me so much ya know."

"You let me decided what I should worry about." Tatsuki said with a small laugh. "I'm still not sure about this. Are you sure you don't want me to stay home?"

"No Tatsuki-chan. Like I said don't worry about me. There's school everyday, the handicrafts club meetings after-wards, and work. I've got plenty to fill my days and keep my mind off things." Orihime said with a smile.

"I just don't want you to be sad anymore. I prefer my old smiling, slightly goofy friend."

"Hey!" Orihime said in mock offense and the girls laughed together.

"I'll get there Tatsuki-chan." Orihime said, serious once again. "It'll take time but I'm gonna get there."

Tatsuki offered a reassuring smile to her friend and they started back on their walk home.

Orihime hugged her friend once again as she left and told her to win the trophy for the girls with a smile. As she settled down into her silent apartment she finally started to believe the words she'd spoken to Tatsuki...

Eventually, she would get there.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

* * *

The train wasn't packed on the chilly Saturday evening and for that Orihime was grateful. She was able to sit on the seat comfortably and, with the person beside her constantly talking to her and making her laugh, no one had approached her or tried to touch her as they sometimes did. She still wasn't sure if this was the best idea in the world but since they'd met up twenty minutes ago, Masaru was slowly changing her mind about the outing.

Masaru lived a few miles from her so she rode the train alone at first and he got on at the next stop. She knew she hadn't been successful in stopping the blush from coming to her cheeks when he walked in but he was so handsome she couldn't help it. The black form fitting tank top was enough to bring the red to her face but matched with the dark well fitting jeans, the open white button up shirt hanging off his frame, and the studded leather belt he wore he was a sight that turned heads; something she was well aware of as he took his spot beside her on the train.

He was constantly telling her stories or making remarks that made her laugh. Even the people around them on the train let out a few snickers at some of his tales. All in all, Orihime was already having the best time she could remember having in a while. Suddenly, she was very glad she'd taken him up on the offer he made yesterday at school.

_It was her turn to clean the classroom after school that day. The other student assigned to help was out sick but she didn't mind doing it by herself. There were no club meetings nor did she have work that afternoon. Cleaning the classroom was just another way for her to prolong her time away from her empty apartment. As she was sweeping the floor she heard the door slide open behind her. _

"_Oh good, someone told me I'd find you here." Masaru said as he walked into the otherwise empty room._

"_Masaru-san, what are you still doing at school?" she asked._

"_Well, to be honest I was looking for you." he admitted with a slight blush. _

_She felt her own blush creep up at those words and she couldn't help but to remember the time he'd asked her out at the Tanabata festival. "O-oh, what for?" _

"_There's this concert this weekend in Nagoya that my buddy and I were gonna go to but he failed his last two test so his mom grounded him. I still have the extra ticket so I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"_

_Orihime was shocked to say the least. On one hand she really did want to go. She wasn't working this weekend and with Tatsuki away she wouldn't have anything to do. Masaru was always fun to be with and she was sure she'd have a good time. Unfortunately, she knew how Masaru felt about her. While she was more than flattered by his feelings, she still wasn't in a position to put herself out there for anyone else. It would be to cruel of her to go out with Masaru when she couldn't even think about returning his feelings._

_She kept her eyes on the floor as she answered."I'm sorry Masaru-san, I just don't think it's a good idea."_

"_Orihime-chan," his soft voice had her peeking at his face. To her surprise, she found him smiling. "I promise I'm only asking as a friend. I respect what you said to me that night and I would never try to push you into something. I just want to hang out with you."_

"_Really?" she asked hopefully. _

"_Really. Plus, you've kinda looked down for a little while now and I think maybe you need to have some fun." he held out the ticket for her as he spoke. _

_She took it hesitantly. "It does sound like fun. And I do like the band."_

"_So what's stopping you?" he asked with his large smile. There was a twinkle in his deep green eyes that had her smiling back. _

"_Nothing."_

As she held her side from the stitch that had developed from laughing at his story she couldn't help but be very thankful to the man sitting next to her. She hadn't felt so free of her burdens all year. When Tatsuki came back from her tournament she would have to tell her about the amazing time she had with Masaru. Wait...they hadn't even made it to the concert yet!

Orihime smiled even wider at that. She was having so much fun and they'd only been on the train ride for less than a half hour. She giggled at herself when she realized it.

"What's so funny now?" Masaru asked with his teasing glance.

"Nothing, I was just being silly."

"Mmm...but I like silly. Tell me."

She blushed unconsciously and tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "I was just thinking about how much fun I was having and we haven't even gotten to the concert yet."

"Well count me in for that silly thought then cause I'm having a blast myself."

She had to look away from his smiling face before her heart could start to race at his words. She wasn't ready for that yet and had to remind herself over and over that they were just friends. Her eyes darted all around the train, searching for something to take her mind off her dangerous thoughts. Just as she noticed the laces on her right shoe were undone she saw Masaru kneel in front of her. Words left her throat as she watched his large hands carefully tying the laces back into a bow. As he finished, without moving from his kneeling position in front of her, he glanced up at her under his bangs.

She knew the blush that had been on her face was trying to travel down her neck as his green eyes peaked at her from under the black strands of hair hanging in front of them. His hands traveled up, just a little, to land on the soft skin of her ankle, fingertips moving slowly across the sensitive skin.

"There," he said in a whisper. "now you're perfect again."

She could only nod dumbly in reply as he took his seat once more.

Dangerous thoughts indeed.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

* * *

Ichigo grabbed his drink and took a long sip as he looked around the packed stadium. He was glad Chado had gotten the tickets for the concert a few weeks back or else they would've been threatened with sitting in the very back. He knew the band was popular but he never thought it would sell out like this. Chado was stretched out on his left, trying to politely ignore the over enthusiastic guy talking to him. That was the only thing both he and Chado hated about this...the crowds.

Thankfully for him, his fierce scowl scared away any one looking to start a conversation. Chado was a big guy but still looked non-threatening so he was open to being pestered. Ichigo couldn't help but to chuckle at his friends discomfort which earned him a glare from the large man.

He was glad he was doing this. He needed to get away from everything and have a good time. All the thoughts and worries he was having about Orihime lately were wearing him down. Not knowing why she was so upset with him, not knowing how to make it right, not having her by his side...he hadn't felt this helpless since before he got his shinigami powers. Who would have ever thought that not having the woman you lo...cared about...near you could do this to a man?

He sighed and forced those thoughts from his mind. Tonight was about having a good time with his friend.

"**Attention everyone, the show will be starting in ten minutes. Please take your seats."**

Ichigo was glad when the announcer gave the message. He was getting a little restless sitting around this many people waiting for the band to come on. Of course, if she were here he wouldn't have been so...

"Over here Orihime-chan. I found our seats."

No...fucking...way. It wasn't her. There was just another person who had the same name. That's all.

"Oh good. I was worrying we wouldn't find them before the show started. I got your drink right here Masaru-san."

Ichigo immediately sat up straight in his chair and searched desperately for the owner of that distinctive voice. He craned his head to search behind him, he leaned over Chado, disturbed the person on his other side...there. Three rows in front of him he caught a glimpse of her auburn hair. She was sliding into her seat...right beside that soccer playing bastard!

What the hell was going on?

Why would she...how could she...wasn't...wasn't she supposed to be in love with him!

Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off the horrible sight in front of him.

There she was. The object of his thoughts and dreams, sitting beside another man at the same fucking concert he was at!

Shit...how the hell did this happen.

He gnashed his teeth together as she laughed at something the pretty boy bastard said. Ichigo's fingers gripped the arm of his chair hard. Just what was she doing? And why the fuck was she with him?

The sound of the amplifiers hit the speakers and the stadium erupted with the screams of the thousands of fans there. People stood in their chairs to clap for the band and he lost sight of Orihime. He kept searching for her through the gaps in between the people below him. Every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of her smiling face or her bright hair.

He didn't even know she liked this band!

She, of course, knew he liked them; it was the same band as the CD she got him for his birthday. Why didn't she tell him she was a fan as well? They could've came together. He would have never even asked her before because he though she was more into the soft, girly music like Yuzu listened to.

But the proof was undeniable in front of his eyes. She was singing the lyrics to the songs right along with the lead vocalist. Even during the guitar rifts, she was bobbing her head and swaying her hips to the music.

Ichigo's vision ran black as he saw her trip and the bastards hands came to her waist to steady her. It wasn't necessary for him to keep his hands on her waist but he did.

For too long.

And she let him.

He was still in his human body but he could clearly feel his hollow twisting and turning in his mind. His anger towards the soccer player was reaching heights only a few others had been privy too. Needless to say those people were already dead. What could he do about this one?

Not a fucking thing.

The bastard was human; there was no way he could unleash on him like he would his past opponents. He also knew he couldn't even fight him. Ichigo's strength had grown so much that even in his human body he couldn't really afford to fight another person. There was no telling the damage he would do to them. That wasn't something he wanted on his conscious...even towards the fucker putting his hands Orihime.

The rush of the crowd pushing on him drew him out of his musings. Somehow he'd managed to spend the entire concert staring at both of their backs. He hadn't even heard a single song!

Ichigo walked along with the crowd, keeping sight of her beautiful auburn hair at all times. He was barely aware of Chado's presence as he followed along behind him. They walked away from the stadium and in the direction of the train station.

Chado watched with rising concern as a smirk came on Ichigo's face that wasn't like his usual one at all. He didn't know what was going on but for the all to familiar reiatsu he felt in front of them, he followed along.

* * *

Orihime collapsed onto the train seat exhausted but very happy. She had never been to a concert before and was amazed at how much fun she'd had. Hearing the songs played live was wonderful and she couldn't stop herself from singing and dancing right along with everyone else in the crowd.

Masaru sat beside her, head leaned back and smiling her way. She returned the smile and suddenly found herself giggling for no reason. She was so glad he'd convinced her to come tonight. Everything had been so wonderful and he was incredible company.

"Masaru-san, thank you so much for tonight."

"Thank you for coming. I take it you had a good time?"

She laughed. "More than a good time! It was so much fun!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." he eyes seem to soften as he spoke. "I've missed that beautiful smile on your face. I'm glad I could do something to help it come back."

Orihime felt the breath catch in the back of her throat. "T-thank you M-Masaru-san. For everything."

He reached over and grasped her hand lightly in his. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."

Before she could answer him a familiar and heavy reiatsu surrounded her. He sat on the seat across from them heavily, his stare harsh and direct.

"I-Ichigo-kun!"

"Orihime."

She sat wide eyed at his sudden appearance. She didn't have to ask what he was doing here, she could tell by his attitude that he knew exactly where she had been at that night.

"Kurosaki, what are you doing here?" Masaru asked though Orihime could not detect any hostility in his voice.

"Oh, just returning from a concert." Ichigo still had his arms crossed over his chest and his legs spread wide in his seat. Orihime could feel the angry waves of his reiatsu washing over her. Her hands trembled in her lap.

"Really? Funny, that's just where Orihime-chan and I were. I didn't see you there."

"I saw you."

Orihime saw Sado sitting near Ichigo and she sent pleading eyes to him. It was of no use though; the silent man seemed just as stunned as she did. Not much else was said. It seemed Masaru didn't feel the need to trade verbal blows with Ichigo.

After a while the train began to slow down at the stop where Masaru had gotten on. Orihime sent a questioning look his way.

"If it's okay with you I'll see you home Orihime-chan." he said in answer to her unasked question.

"There's no need for that. I live near her; I'll send her home." Ichigo replied for her.

"Be that as it may, I'm the one who was out with her tonight."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed even further at this and his reiatsu pulsed angrily. Orihime felt a stab of fear, not for herself, but for Masaru.

"I-It's okay Masaru-san. I don't want to have to inconvenience you. I'll be okay going home, by myself." she stressed the last word.

"Are you sure Orihime-chan?"

"Yes. Thank you so much for tonight. I'll see you in school on Monday okay?"

He grasped her hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze before standing to exit the train.

"Good night Kurosaki, Sado."

Orihime watched as the doors closed behind him. He waved again as the train pulled out and she managed a tentative smile for him. When she turned back to Ichigo, she abruptly lost the smile.

He continued to sit there, staring at her. The longer the ride passed in silence the more she became angry. What exactly was he thinking? What right did he have to act the way he was?

More and more these thoughts went around her head until she found herself tapping her foot in annoyance to his attitude. Ichigo never broke eye contact with her and she refused to look away as well. She was not going to be intimidated by his anger.

The train finally rolled to a stop in Karakura and she shot to her feet. She walked quickly out of the train, past the ticket vendors, and out of the station. Her fast pace continued down the now dark, deserted sidewalks. All she wanted was to go home and reflect on this night. How could an evening so wonderful go wrong so quickly?

"Did you really think you could outrun me?" Ichigo asked as he fell in step beside her.

"I was hoping you wouldn't bother."

He was past caring about the clipped words she used. "Now why would I do that Orihime-_chan_? Don't you want to gossip about your date?"

Orihime turned sharply to face him. "Do not mock me Ichigo. Not that it's any of your business but I was not on a date. Masaru-san simply had an extra ticket to the concert and asked me to come along."

Ichigo laughed humorlessly. "Riiiiight. That's what that was."

She clenched her teeth and pressed her lips tightly together. "It was. Anyway, what does it matter to you?" he didn't answer immediately and she gave a half-smile. "That's what I thought." she began walking for home again.

Ichigo seemed to growl under his breath and caught up with her quickly again. "I'm not done." he bit out as he stepped in front of her. "I didn't say it didn't matter."

"No. You didn't say anything. Good at that aren't you?"

He looked confused by her statement but shook it off and continued talking. "Whatever. You didn't answer me. Why are you going out with him?"

"I already answered that! I'm not going out with him!"

Sado approached the pair carefully. Neither party seemed to realize he was still there. He was absolutely stunned by the scene before him. He had never heard Ichigo raise his voice in any way towards their gentle friend but even more amazing was Orihime herself. Not only had he never heard her yell at someone, he didn't even think she was capable of doing so.

"It certainly looked like a date to me. I don't get it." he raked his hands through his unruly hair in frustration. "Why would you even consider going out with him? If you're in lo..." Ichigo broke of the sentence abruptly and looked to her face. She wasn't shocked; instead, her face held a ghost of a smile.

"If I was what Ichigo?"

_Oh shit...that's what all this has been about... _

"Say it Ichigo."

His stunned and now knowing voice came out as a mere whisper. "Why would you do that if you're in love with me?"

They stood quite for a time. No sounds of the night pierced the heavily burdened silence that surrounded them. It seemed even the creatures of the night wanted to hear them speak.

"Can you even imagine...what I felt like...when I remembered?" she finally asked.

"Orihi..."

"No." she interrupted him. "No, you can't. Alone, in my room, waking up from the horrific nightmare only to finally remember it wasn't a dream." her voice began to shake with emotion. "I had lived through that Ichigo. And I not only had to feel my flesh melting away from my body once, but time and time again as I re-lived that every night."

"Ori..."

"I'm not finished!" she screamed. She took great gulping breaths and tried hard to calm her emotions. She didn't want to do this. Had never planned to do this, but since he wasn't ever going to leave it alone she supposed she had no choice. "When I remembered telling you...I was kinda relieved."

Ichigo's eyes went wide with shock at this statement.

"I mean, I felt this way for so long but always kept it hidden. I never wanted to burden you with my feelings and I was positive that you couldn't return them so I kept it to myself. I didn't want to go through the heartache I knew I would when you rejected me." she brushed her hands across her cheeks to get rid of the tears that refused to be held back. "But I didn't get rejected did I? No...I got ignored. I wasn't even worth the breath it took you to tell me no to my face."

She was silent for a while so Ichigo tried again to speak.

"Orihime...I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you."

She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, well you did didn't you. The sad thing is, I can't even be mad at you for feeling the way you do. It's not like you can control it. But for brushing it aside like it didn't mean anything to you...that I can be upset about Ichigo."

"I wasn't ignoring it Orihime! I would never treat your feelings so carelessly. I just needed time to figure out what I felt. And I did Orihime. I realize it now, I lo..."

"What did you need time for Ichigo?" she asked, interrupting him and not hearing the rest of his sentence. "Time to watch me make a fool out of myself for a year while you knew every minute of it how I felt?"

"No! Orihime please listen to me." he pleaded.

"I'm done for tonight. I simply don't have the strength to do this right now." she gave up trying to stop the tears from flowing. "I may love you Ichigo but right now I don't like you very much." she skirted around him and ran off towards her apartment.

Ichigo was helpless to follow after her. He stood rooted to his spot, frozen by her words.

He couldn't believe it. His father had been right the whole time.

Kami, why was he such an idiot?

He hung his head and clenched his hands by his side, furiously fighting the emotions coming over him.

For the first time in a very long time, Ichigo wanted to cry.


	14. Chapter 14: The Wisdom of Age

_The Wisdom of Age_

* * *

The scene below was not one the ex-shinigami would have ever thought to be seeing.

Orihime and Ichigo were practically yelling at each other, in anger non-the-less, while a dazed Sado watched on helplessly. The words of the argument drifted upwards and a grim feeling followed in its wake.

Too long had the event that caused this been swept under the rug and now Orihime was feeling the pain of that day. Although it seems, since that time, Ichigo's feelings had changed as well. The pain that was written all too clearly on his face as Orihime left him standing in the middle of the sidewalk spoke enormously of his feelings.

Sado approached Ichigo but the first couple of times he tried to talk to the young vizard he was ignored. Soon, the large man simply placed his hand on his best friends shoulder to offer his comfort. Ichigo said nothing but the emotions coursing through him were obvious to all in the vicinity.

It was a long time before Ichigo began to walk away from the spot the healer left him in. His footsteps were slow and heavy; despair clung to his frame.

The ex-shinigami was glad to see Sado following the young man home. Both Ichigo and Orihime desperately needed to talk to someone. Ichigo would find comfort in either his best friend or his father, that they were sure of. Orihime, however, would have no one waiting for her. The decision of which hero of the war to follow was easy to make.

Besides, Orihime needed another woman to talk to.

* * *

Even though she'd swore to herself she wouldn't cry over his rejection of her anymore, Orihime was helpless to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. She ripped off the outfit she'd worn that night and jumped into some comfortable sweats and a t-shirt.

Why did this have to happen?

She was doing so good. Well, not _so_ good but she'd been getting better. At least she was making the effort to.

Then Ichigo had to come and look at her like she'd done something wrong. Why did he care anyway? What did it matter if she was or wasn't dating someone? He'd already shown her he didn't love her. If he didn't have feelings for her than why did he have to question her like he did or get so mad at Masaru-san?

Unfortunately, she had no answers to any of the questions her mind kept asking. All she knew was it hurt just like the first time.

She continued to sob into the tissues she held. All the fun she'd had that day was completely forgotten as the horrible fight with Ichigo ran through her mind.

Her...fighting with someone

Not just someone...the man she loved.

A fresh batch of tears poured from her eyes at the thought. She'd never argued with anyone like that in her life! The hurtful things she'd said to Ichigo...how could she do such a thing? Even if she was hurting like she was she shouldn't have said the things she did. Her brother did not raise her to act like that. Ichigo would probably never forgive her for the biting words she'd thrown at him. Though they would never be lovers, she still wanted to remain friends. Losing him completely would devastate her and now she had been so rude to him he was probably already thinking about how to end their friendship.

A soft scratching at her door somehow made itself heard through the harsh crying she was still doing. She dragged her huddled form to her feet and made her way to the door. No one was visible through the peep-hole but the scratching continued. Steeling herself for a possible attack, she opened the door cautiously to find no one there. Until she heard the soft meow below her.

The black cat was instantly recognizable and she stepped aside to allow it in. Once the door was closed and locked, Orihime turned to see the fur fading away as human limbs replaced them. A toned, tanned, naked female body was quickly taking shape.

Orihime grabbed her bath robe and placed it around Yourichi's now human shoulders.

"Thanks, though my nudity seems to bother you humans more than anyone else." Yourichi said as she sat down beside the healers table.

Orihime watched the ex-shinigami with a confused expression. "What are you doing here Yourichi-san? I haven't seen you since...then." she finally said. Yourichi merely raised an eyebrow at the young woman's question. "I'm sorry, that came out rude didn't it? It seems I'm doing that more often these days." she said in a near whisper and wiped away a stray tear that fell from her red, swollen eyes.

"Come sit with me Inoue."

Orihime sat stiffly beside the woman who first taught her how to use her powers. She bit the inside of her lip as she forced herself to focus on her and not the jumbled mess of her emotions.

"To answer your question, I came to see you because I've been busy since Aizen's defeat and just now finished everything and was able to make the trip. I've been checking in with Urahara who told me things had been kinda quiet around here so I wasn't worried. Apparently that isn't the case."

Orihime turned wide eyes on Yourichi.

"Yes, on my way here I happened to run up on your little fight with Ichigo."

Orihime buried her flushed face into the tissues still crumbled in her hands. She was so ashamed! Not only had she said such horrible things to the man she loved, Yourichi, who she held in great respect, heard her embarrassing situation. Orihime wanted to pack everything and move far away, possibly become a hermit, so she could cope with the embarrassment and shame she felt.

"Inoue, you do remember I was at the battle as well right? I heard you tell him your feelings the first time."

She couldn't contain the gasp that flew from her lips.

That was right. Yourichi had been there. Urahara as well.

Oh kami...for a secret she kept hidden for so long, a lot of people now seemed to know her shame. They all saw her kiss Ichigo and bare her feelings for him. They all knew she'd been thrown to the side, ignored as if she wasn't worth the time.

Why did these things keep happening to her?

"Inoue, please stop crying." Yourichi said in a surprisingly gentle voice.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry Yourichi-san. I-It's just that I'm so ashamed of my actions."

Yourichi chuckled. "Why? Hell, I was hoping you'd smack the dumb kid."

"Yourichi-san!"

"What? He deserves it! Has he really not said a single thing to you about that day?" Yourichi asked with amazement. Orihime shook her head no. "Then you shoulda whooped his ass."

"I could never..."

"Yeah I know." Yourichi said with a pout. "You're too damn nice to ever do that. I was just glad to see you do have a backbone under all that." she said with a gesture towards Orihime's chest.

A blush descended on the healers face. "It's not that I don't have a backbone. I just think it's easier to be nice to people and try to treat everyone with respect."

"No, it's not easier. It's harder to do so actually. That's just another thing that proves how strong you are." she said with a smile.

Orihime ducked her head. "I'm not strong."

"Why would you say that?"

"If I was strong I wouldn't be crying right now. I wouldn't have said such harsh things to Ichigo-kun just because I'm hurting."

"What? So you're gonna beat yourself up because you're acting like a normal woman would?"

Orihime looked up into the stern face of Yourichi. "I'm sorry?"

"Inoue, any normal woman would have done the same thing you did. Probably worse to tell the truth. Stop beating yourself up because of it."

"B-b-but...it's just..." she couldn't continue to talk while the sobs were welling up in her chest. How could Yourichi not berate her for the way she acted? She had been so horrible but it still hurt so much. As she broke down in tears once again she felt comforting arms slide around her. She buried her face into Yourichi's shoulder as the tears poured down her face.

Yourichi sighed as she stroked the gentle woman's head. She'd heard everything that was said between the two of them. Ichigo had been trying to tell Inoue something but she was in no condition to listen to his words at that time. How the hell was she gonna calm this child down and get her to listen to what Ichigo had to say?

* * *

"You're home early onii-chan. I thought you'd be gone until much later." Yuzu said as she saw Ichigo's form slowly climbing the stairs to his room. "I've already put up dinner but I can re-heat it for you if you like?"

"No thanks Yuzu." his low voice replied slowly. "I'm just gonna go lay down."

She watched with a sinking feeling as his slumped form slowly made its way upstairs. He never even turned to look at her as he spoke, but she could feel the despair rolling off him. The clicking of his door was the only other sound from his direction.

"What could have happened?" she whispered worriedly.

Isshin placed a comforting hand on his daughters shoulders. "Never mind about your brother Yuzu. He'll be alright. Why don't you just finish up your homework, okay?"

She cast a doubtful look to her father but walked back into the living room to continue her studies anyway.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Ichigo laid on his bed fully clothed. The energy to even change into his pajamas had left him. He knew Chado heard everything but he was happy his large friend didn't press him for answers about it as he followed him home. Actually, he should be glad Chado followed him; the state he was in now, he wasn't sure if he wouldn't have gotten himself killed if he was attacked.

It was over.

He lost any chance he'd ever had with her.

The anger towards his own stupid decisions wasn't enough to squash the loneliness and despair he was feeling. He'd kept silent about her confession in order to buy himself time to work out how he'd felt about her. It had taken him almost a year to see all the signs he'd refused to acknowledge before and in doing so, he'd allowed her to feel rejected.

No, not rejected...ignored.

She was hurt.

He'd been the one to hurt her.

Damn...after everything he'd promised her...promised himself, he was still the one in the end who'd hurt her.

Ichigo crushed his palms against his eyes as the pain flowed through him again. Was this how she felt when she realized she'd confessed to him and he had not responded? Was this pain of rejection anywhere close to how she'd felt?

His arms fell lax against his side once again. There wasn't anything he could do. She'd already made up her mind and turned away from him.

And he had no one to blame but himself.

Why? Why had he waited so long? Why didn't he say something when he realized he wanted to be near her more? So much time he had wasted denying the emotions he felt because they were new and he didn't know how to handle them. Time he'd wasted being jealous of the other guy when he knew from the beginning that she was just being friendly to him. Her love had been for him and by her words, she'd felt that way for a while. Yet he'd hesitated...and now he'd lost everything.

A knock on the door came softly but he ignored it. He wanted no company and wasn't prepared to be polite; even to his family.

"Ichigo?" his father asked as he stepped inside slowly.

He ignored his father and instead rolled onto his side facing the wall.

Isshin knew something bad happened with Ichigo but he wasn't entirely sure what. He scanned his body quickly but found no injuries indicating a fight had occurred. Isshin checked his son's reiatsu and felt the discord flowing through him. He also felt Sado's reiatsu...as well as Orihime's. Given his son's defeated posture, his withdrawn attitude, and the presence of her reiatsu, he had a pretty good idea what occurred.

Even though he was being ignored, Isshin walked into his son's darkened room and sat in his desk chair. Ichigo wouldn't even acknowledge his presence, but that was okay for now. He needed time himself to decide how to approach this. The closest Isshin had come to speaking about anything serious with his son was the morning he'd confronted Ichigo about the cold showers he'd been taking back in June. Though that time, he'd been able to tease his son like usual so it wasn't so hard to do.

Humor would not be appreciated, or needed, this time.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he glanced around his son's room. Though he woke his son up most mornings with an attack of some sorts, he hardly ever just looked at the things Ichigo kept around. Long gone were the drawings he'd done as a child that used to hang on his walls. Now they were replaced with posters of rock bands. The books that lined the small shelves he had weren't children's novels anymore; school subjects, and surprisingly, Shakespeare stood in their place. Somewhere in between all the normal things that went on in their lives, his son had turned into a young man. A man who now needed guidance in an area he wasn't familiar with.

Isshin had allowed Urahara to lead his son down his path as a shinigami. He didn't want to miss this opportunity as well.

"I know you've never heard this but the week before I proposed to your mother we got into a huge argument. At the time, I honestly didn't know if we'd ever be able to make up again."

Ichigo didn't say anything but Isshin saw his head move a fraction of an inch and knew he had his attention.

"I really don't even remember what it was about now. Hell, it was so long ago and it was probably over something petty. If I had to guess, I'd say it was my jealousy that started it." Isshin leaned back in the chair and tilted his head to look at the ceiling as he remembered his beautiful wife.

"She was just so beautiful...men would stare at her or approach her. And your mother, being the kind person she was, would always listen to whatever they were saying. Now don't get the wrong idea; if they were hitting on her she would politely turn them down but you know how most guys are...they would be subtle with it. Striking up some damn nonsense knowing good and well they were just trying to be in her presence and gaze at her. Pissed me off all the time."

Isshin heard the bed creak and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ichigo now laying on his back. He wasn't looking at his him but it was a good start.

"Before we got married I got jealous all the time. Usually, she would just laugh it off or say it was cute how I wanted her to myself but...well; I know this will come as a shock to you but your daddy can be an idiot sometimes."

He heard Ichigo snort and though he grinned a bit, he didn't turn to look at his son.

"You know, the more I think about it, I'm pretty sure this was the reason we got into a fight that time. Yeah...there was this guy she worked with, don't remember his name, but they'd been friends before I met her. He was always too friendly with her if you ask me." he said the last part with a frown as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Anyway, the guy did something at that time that pissed me off more than usual. I think I threatened him or...hell I don't remember but I might have actually hit the guy. Masaki got so pissed at me. She just stood there with her arms crossed giving me this look. Don't know if you remember but your mother had one hell of a death glare."

Ichigo huffed a little laugh and Isshin turned to smirk at him this time.

"Well, words started getting exchanged and I'm pretty sure I accused her of wanting that guy to get close to her or something of that sort. By the time it was all finished, Masaki had stormed out and we didn't speak to each other for days."

Ichigo turned his head a bit to watch his father as he spoke. Though he'd never heard anything like this from either of his parents, he knew it to be the truth. There was no way he could be faking the pain that was written on his face and that laced his words.

"Sure I stayed pissed the first day, sulked the second day, but by the third day with no word from her I started to get worried. I didn't sleep at all that night. The conversation was replying in my head over and over again. Everything she said, every gesture she made towards that guy...I realized I'd fucked up. She was just being her usual friendly self and I let my damn jealousy get out of control. Worst of all, I knew I hurt her by not trusting in her and believing her. I tried calling her the fourth day and she ignored all my calls and messages. I didn't think she'd ever forgive me. I thought we were over."

"How..." Ichigo began tentatively "how'd you get her to forgive you?"

"I did what any self-respecting man who'd done his woman wrong would do...I begged."

"Huh?"

Isshin chuckled. "Ichigo my boy, we're men. More than that, we're fighters. It's in our nature to be more brash than usual and violence is a common thing with us. That's how we work out our problems. Thing is, with our women we can't be like that. The way they think is totally different than us and don't ever expect to know what they're thinking 'cause I can tell you right now it ain't gonna happen." he smiled as he looked at his son.

"I had to ask myself how much she meant to me. The answer was easy and immediate in coming. I knew I'd hurt her but I also knew I had to do whatever it took to get her back. When she wouldn't take my calls I went to her apartment and stood on the doorsteps with a dozen roses and waited for her to talk to me."

"How long did it take for her to let you in?" Ichigo asked now with a small smirk of his own. Though he mostly remembered his mother's warm nature and smiling face, he did remember she could be stubborn when she wanted to.

"Four hours."

Ichigo outright laughed at this and sat up in bed while his father continued speaking.

"Yeah, laugh it up. Did I happen to mention it was raining that day?" Isshin glared half-heartedly at his son's enjoyment at his expense. "I wasn't leaving though. Because to leave might have meant the end for us and I couldn't risk that. I love her too much. So I swallowed all my pride and waited on that doorstep until she finally opened it. She just shook her head as she stepped aside and let me in. We talked a long time that day; solved a lot of issues that we didn't even know we had. That's the important thing Ichigo, we **both** talked and we **both** listened. It can't be one-sided, it's gotta be all or nothing. To do anything less is an insult to your partner."

Ichigo held his head down as he allowed his father's words to roll around his mind.

Isshin saw his words were getting to his son and decided he'd done enough. He stretched as he stood from the chair and left his son with one more piece of advice.

"How much does she mean to you Ichigo? Answer that question and you know which direction to go."

He crossed the room and made to leave before Ichigo's quite 'thanks dad' reached his ears. He just smiled to himself and left his son to his thoughts.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Orihime sighed heavily as she removed her shoes from her locker. The day had been difficult but she'd managed to get through it somehow. Perhaps she should have skipped one more day of school but missing Monday was all she would allow herself. After Yourichi left her apartment, she'd been forced to think about a lot of things, face a lot of insecurities she still possessed. She'd given in to her emotions and skipped school one day to try and figure out what she should do. There had been a handicrafts club meeting after school today so she couldn't stay home and ignore the world.

Though she'd seen him the moment she'd entered the classroom, Orihime made sure she was still around all of her girl-friends so even if he wanted to Ichigo wouldn't have the opportunity to speak with her. There was still too much she needed to sort out before she would feel confident enough to speak with him.

She missed Tatsuki. Though she was sure her best friend would want to beat him up if she knew everything that was going on, she still wanted her around to cheer her up. It was getting harder and harder to pull herself out of these depressing thoughts.

"Orihime-chan!"

She turned to see Masaru running towards her. Another pang shot through her heart. She was the reason Ichigo was so mad at him. Masaru was such a nice person; he shouldn't have to deal with the mess surrounding her.

"Whew, I'm so glad I caught up with you." he panted.

"Umm...is something wrong Masaru-san?"

A look crossed his face briefly before he shook it away. "Well, I need to talk to you. You didn't show up yesterday and I got a little worried. I promised myself if you didn't show up today I was gonna try to contact you."

"O-kay." she said slowly. "What's wrong Masaru-san?" a horrible thought sprang to her mind. "Oh no! Please tell me Ichigo-kun hasn't said something to you."

"No, no, nothing like that. It's...umm...I have something to tell you. And I wanted to be able to tell you myself before you heard from anyone else."

Sadness filled his eyes and it only served to increase her fears. His shoulders slumped as he sighed heavily.

"I'm moving." he whispered.

"What?"

"I said I'm moving." he stated clearly this time.

Orihime's shocked eyes locked onto his. "When?" she asked breathlessly.

A very sad smile graced his features. "I've only been in school this week to officially withdraw...and to say goodbye to everyone."

"B-But this is kinda sudden isn't it?"

"Actually no. My parents told me about 3 months ago that dad was up for a promotion. It wasn't official but there was a good possibility that he would get it. The promotion takes his job oversees...to America. After a month and I never heard anything else about it, I assumed he didn't get it." Masaru dropped his weary form onto the bench near them. "They told me after I got home from the concert. He got the promotion and we have to leave this week."

Orihime made her way to sit next to him. "But where will you live? What about your sisters?"

Masaru smiled at the worry in her voice despite the depressing situation he found himself in. "Well, two of my sisters are already married and the other two are in college. One of them happens to be in college in America. Mom said she always knew dad was gonna get the promotion so she'd already been looking at houses online. They've already got everything planned."

Orihime felt the tears burning the back of her eyes. Though she could never return the feelings Masaru had for her she genuinely enjoyed his company. He was such a nice, funny person and she always like to be around him. It wasn't just that though. Orihime was sure, that given time, she could have really liked Masaru. Once she got over Ichigo that was.

Slowly, she slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He had to be feeling nervous and scared. Suddenly moving away, changing schools, leaving everything you know behind...it had to be a terrifying thought. He needed a friend and she wanted to do what little she could.

"It's all gonna work out. You'll see." she said with a smile. "You'll make new friends in no time! Especially if you join the soccer team in your new school. Oh and think of all the new things you'll be able to experience! It'll be an adventure!"

Masaru stared at her, jaw dropped for a moment before he burst out laughing. He held tight to her hand as he the tremors from his laughing spell subsided.

"Thank you Orihime-chan. I needed that."

"Huh?"

"I've been so depressed about leaving I haven't even given a thought as to how to cope with the move." he turned his warm smile and sparkling green eyes on her. "There's one thing that won't be over there though...you."

The blush lit her cheeks before she could even think about it. "W-Well, we can still write to each other."

"Yeah." he said. The smile was still on his face but it didn't reach his eyes this time. "I gotta go. There's more paperwork I have to fill out in the office to complete my withdrawal."

"Oh," she said, sadness now lacing her voice. "So...you won't be back anymore?"

Masaru shook his head sadly. "We leave Japan Thursday. With everything left to pack and ship, I'm afraid this is goodbye."

Orihime felt the tear run down her face but before she could wipe it away Masaru already was tracing his thumb along her cheek.

"I don't deserve a single tear from you."

"Yes you do. You're a wonderful man and I'm going to miss you." she replied.

Masaru looked into her beautiful stormy eyes and felt such a stab of pain that he would never be the one to occupy her heart.

"Orihime-chan, tell me...is Kurosaki the reason why you wouldn't go out with me when I asked?"

Her eyes widened once more and she saw him smile sadly in acknowledgment.

"Thought so. Listen, I don't know what happened between you two recently but I think you need to give him another chance."

"Masaru-san...it's just not that simple." she said hesitantly.

"I'm sure it's not but I can see both of you are hurting. Even though you still cast longing looks at one another you refuse to settle whatever is bothering you? You're missing out on your happiness."

"But..."

He held up a hand to stop her. "Nope, I've already overstepped my bounds. It's not my place to know your private issues. I just want you to be happy. And from what I've seen, I think you both want the same thing."

Where and what he'd seen she didn't know but she wasn't sure they could ever be happy together the way he was implying. Still, she gave him a thankful smile. This was the last time she would see him and she wanted it to be a happy time.

"I should go." he said quietly.

She tugged his hand, stopping him as he made to stand up. He turned his head to her in confusion but she smiled gently and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Good luck Masaru-san."

He gave a trembling smile and squeezed her hand in return as his words were now lodged in his throat.

Orihime watched him walk towards the office and brushed away the tears that fell. She truly wished he did well in America and that he found someone who made him happy. He had done so much for her in cheering her up and making her feel wanted even though she couldn't return the feelings. She would miss him.

She shouldered her bag and opened the door to leave.

Ichigo was propped up beside the building, obviously waiting on her. His head was down, bangs hiding his eyes, and his arms were crossed over his chest. Orihime quickly felt his reiatsu, expecting to find it seething with rage. She was surprised to find no anger lacing it.

"So...you've chosen him then?" his low voice asked.

She couldn't even speak to answer him. Shocked to the core, Orihime could only stare at him dumbfounded. Ichigo wasn't looking at her, else he would have seen the wide eyed expression she wore.

He had seen her.

He saw her kiss Masaru.

Even if it was on the cheek she knew he would be upset about it. Why he was upset she still didn't understand.

"I guess I was too late. That seems to be the usual for me when it comes to you."

What did he mean by that? Oh no...did he think she had chosen to date Masaru? But late? That wasn't making any sense.

"I just want you to know Orihime, I only want for you to be happy. If he's the one who makes you happy...then...I wish you all the best."

Was he...

But no, he ignored her confession. He didn't want her love...right?

He pulled away from the wall and began walking away from her.

Yourichi's words from the other night came racing back to her.

"_Are you so certain about what the thinks and feels?" she asked the healer._

"_How could I not be? He hasn't spoken a word about it since it happened! That was in December!" she said heatedly._

"_I realize that Inoue but you also haven't asked him about it either have you?"_

"_Well...no...but..."_

"_Don't continue to assume everything Inoue. All you're doing is hurting yourself and others. Wasn't he trying to tell you something tonight and you wouldn't listen?"_

_Orihime felt the hot trails of tears burning her cheeks once again. "I don't know if I can deal with hearing him tell me no to my face. After everything...I just don't know if I'm strong enough for that."_

"_Inoue, stop doubting yourself. And stop doubting him." Yourichi said as she leaned back with a look of wisdom that only comes with age and experience. "After everything...doesn't he deserve a chance to be heard?"_

Orihime reached out and grasped his wrist, stopping him.

Ichigo turned back to her, chocolate eyes widened in disbelief but still loaded with pain.

Orihime fought with herself for a moment. The look of pain in his eyes gave her such a shock. She never expected to see it there. Though it may hurt her all over again, she chose to listen to Yourichi's advice.

"I...he...he's leaving...the country." she meekly said. Ichigo's face displayed his shock and he turned fully to face her. Her hand was still latched around his wrist.

"His father's job is moving them to America." She took the chance to look him straight in the eyes as she continued. "I was only saying goodbye."

Ichigo searched her eyes carefully. She was scared but...kami please...wasn't that hope in her eyes?

Could he possibly still have a chance? Could they really work through this?

He took a step closer to her as he held her gaze.

"Could we please talk Orihime?" he asked hopefully.

She licked her suddenly dry lips as she saw a spark of hope flare to life in his eyes.

Could she really have been mistaken about him? Could there really be a chance for her?

"Alright."

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

**A/N:**

**Once again I have to give a big thanks to all my readers! You're reviews and messages give me such inspiration and drive to get these chapters out. I love each and every one of you and send you all big internet hugs!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter (sorry about Masaru but this has been his fate since the beginning) and please let me know what you think. **

**Oh and Zanbandia...I was keeping the faith. I know how it gets. **


	15. Chapter 15:A Step in the Right Direction

**A Step in the Right Direction**

Sado sat on the couch across from Ishida quietly, allowing the young Quincy to process all the information he just shared with him. All weekend Sado warred with himself over whether or not to share everything he'd heard to the other member of their group. It was a decision he had not made lightly.

At first, he refused to tell anyone. To tell the secrets he'd overheard Ichigo and Inoue shouting at each other would be a violation of their privacy and trust. From what he'd heard, Ichigo had known about Inoue's feelings for nearly the whole year and had not asked either himself nor Ishida for advice nor had he told them about it. From that alone he knew Ichigo did not want to discuss it. How could he possibly tell Ishida what he'd heard when Ichigo so obviously wanted it to be kept secret?

But, then again, Inoue was hurting so much. Sado was the first one to train with her and they did so often together when they first discovered their powers. While Sado was slow to open up to anyone, Inoue had a way of making people feel comfortable with her friendly attitude and cheerful smile. She shared much of herself, and her past, with him and he had eventually done the same. Though he began training with Renji in order to increase his power, he never lost that connection he'd formed with the gentle healer. He cared about her a great deal, as he knew Ishida did as well. How could anyone not want to protect the fragile appearing woman? Though he knew from experience she wasn't as delicate as she appeared to be.

It wasn't just Inoue hurting this time. Sado saw the look on Ichigo's face as she walked away; he heard the words Ichigo tried to say. For whatever reason he'd held back in the beginning, it was painfully obvious to the large man that his best friend now held strong feelings for Inoue. When she ran off after their argument, the devastated look on Ichigo's face completely caught him off guard. Sado had no idea how to comfort his friend during a time like this so he simply remained at his side as Ichigo trudged back home.

He wanted to help his friends. They had been through so much, seen so much horror and bloodshed and they deserved to be happy. Although...he didn't have the first clue how to approach this situation. Knowing Ishida would pick up on everything soon enough, he finally made the decision to speak with the Quincy about their problems. Now, as he watched Ishida's face slowly becoming angered, he was re-thinking his decision.

"That stupid...arrogant...damn shinigami." Ishida muttered heatedly as he clenched his fists in his lap. "I can not believe he ignored this for an entire year. What the hell was he thinking?"

"I'm sure he had a good reason." Sado said.

"No he didn't" Ishida spat. "He was probably just confused like normal so decided to ignore the 'problem' as it were."

"Well, if he was confused he was just using the time to figure things out."

"Yeah, and look where it got him." Ishida leaned back against the chair he sat in and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. "Now he's upset and Inoue-san...I hate to even think of the state she's in right now."

Silence reigned in the apartment for a while as each man was absorbed in their own thoughts until Ishida spoke again.

"I've known he was developing feelings for her for a while now."

Sado's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes. I noticed he was acting odd around her so I started observing him. After a month or two I realized he was beginning to think of her as more than just a friend."

"I did notice he was acting differently around her but I didn't realize he was feeling that way." Sado said.

"Hell, that idiot probably didn't realize it himself."

"But it's always been obvious how she felt about him." Sado added.

"Of course it has. Though Kurosaki, being the dense creature he is, has never seemed to notice it."

Sado sighed heavily. "I want to help them somehow. I hate seeing them both in so much pain."

"Especially Inoue-san." Ishida interjected. "She's been through enough as it is without having to feel like Kurosaki has brushed her feelings aside as if it meant nothing to him." his voice ended off in an angry tone.

"I'm sure this hasn't been easy for him either Ishida." Sado said in defense of his friend.

"I'm not saying it has but he definitely could have handled this better." Ishida replied.

"I guess so." Sado said. "Do you have any ideas on how to help them?"

Ishida's brows rose over the rim of his glasses. "I make it a point not to become involved in other peoples personal lives."

"Ishida, this isn't just some friends from school," Sado said sternly. "These are the friends we've fought beside, trained with, bled for...I think you can make an exception for once."

Ishida regarded his friend quietly for a time before sighing in defeat and closing his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Sado asked.

"Quiet for a moment." Ishida instructed. His brows creased in concentration as he sat quietly. After a few moments he opened his eyes and regarded Sado once again. "I was searching for their reiatsu. Kurosaki may be an idiot but at least he does normally learn from his mistakes."

"What do you mean?"

"They're together and it appears their reiatsu is heading in the direction of Inoue-san's apartment. Hopefully they're going to talk and deal with this themselves." Ishida muttered the last part.

"I hope so too. I'm not really good at this sort of thing anyway." Sado said as he looked down at his large hands.

"The heaven's know Ichigo isn't either. Usually it takes him getting beat nearly half to death to get something through that thick skull of his."

The friends chuckled at that well known truth before Ishida adopted a smirk.

"Well, if that's what it takes this time, I say we take turns helping him _understand_."

* * *

The silence in the room was deafening.

Though they both agreed they needed to talk, neither knew how to begin what was bound to be an emotional roller coaster.

Ichigo was seated across from Orihime at her small table, his hands clenched tightly in his lap as he desperately tried to decide how to begin. The overwhelming sense of loss he felt flow through him when he saw her kiss Hayashi's cheek was now gone by her words but it didn't quell the heavy guilt he still carried.

He was the cause of her tears. He was the cause of her pain. And it was his decision that had driven her away from him.

A single decision in battle could cost him his life; that was something he was very familiar with. Never had he realized a single decision could throw his world so off kilter as his to keep silent about her confession had done. Ichigo was so lost as to how to fix everything. There was no single word or phrase he could utter to repair the damage he had done to her heart. Even now, by telling her how he truly felt, he knew it wouldn't erase the months of agony he'd caused. No matter what he had to try.

He laid in his bed for hours pondering over his father's words. How much did she mean to him? While he'd already admitted to himself he held deep feelings for the healer, he gave serious thought to the advice his father bestowed upon him. How much was he willing to do to have her stand beside him again? Did he care enough about her to go through the trials they would inevitably face?

Ichigo was a proud person. It had never been that easy for him to prostrate himself to someone else; the mere thought was embarrassing. Yet, trying to imagine a life without Orihime around brought such a sharp pain to his chest that he knew he'd do whatever he could to make her forgive him.

His deep brown eyes studied her across the table, catching every nervous twitch her beautiful form made. Her head was slightly lowered, eyes focused downward, her hands clenched so tightly in her lap her knuckles were turning white, and her bottom lip was gently tucked between her teeth. Seeing her like this in front of him, because of him, forced the apology out of his lips before he could even think of the words.

"I'm sorry."

Orihime snapped her head up when he spoke. Her storm gray eyes widened in shock at the soft spoken apology. Ichigo's warm brown eyes were locked onto hers, swirling with so many emotions she was transfixed.

"I never wanted to hurt you. That's the last thing I ever wanted to do."

She could already feel the tears pooling in her eyes. His words meant so much to her yet they weren't enough to stop the pain welling in her chest. Though she now agreed with Yourichi-san that she should hear him out, her own self-doubts were threatening to crush her. Would she be strong enough to listen to him tell her he could never love her? Fine tremors wracked through her body and she clenched her hands together in a vain effort to stop her shaking. She'd agreed to this talk and no matter the outcome, things needed to be said. Steeling her will she took a slow deep breath and forced the words out of her tightening throat.

"B-But you did. Hurt me that is."

Her melodic voice was little more than a whisper but the words hit Ichigo like a cero blast. Guilt, shame, self-loathing...they weighed heavily on his heart until his shoulders slumped under the strain. He shouldn't even be here. He didn't deserve to be sitting at the same table as the gentle woman who'd done nothing but love him. And what had he given her in return? Pain, loneliness, jealousy...he had never been more ashamed of himself in his life.

"Why?"

He slowly raised his eyes to look at her once again.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"I didn't know what to say." he saw nothing but pain in her eyes at his words and he rushed to explain himself further. "It caught me off guard. I never knew...I had no idea you...felt that way. I honestly didn't know how I felt then and I was scared to hurt you by saying the wrong thing. When you woke up and didn't remember anything I thought I could use the time to figure out my own feelings."

Orihime honestly didn't know what to feel about his words. While he wasn't telling her he didn't love her, he also wasn't saying he felt anything beyond friendship for her. She knew he didn't want to hurt her. Ichigo was always so protective, it was one of the things she loved about him, so she knew he was being completely honest about that. It was also obvious that at the time she told him how she felt, he had no other feelings for her than those of friendship.

That wasn't surprising to her. While she had always maintained the hope that she could have a fairy tale romance, the more realistic side of her – which could be very small at times she admitted – knew that the chance of him harboring feelings for her were probably non-existent. So now...she was confused all over again. How was she supposed to feel about his words?

She fiddled with her fingers nervously as she thought. Unable to meet his eyes, she continued to keep her head lowered, her long hair forming a sort of protective covering over her face.

"Do...do you hate me?"

Ichigo's head hung low as he whispered his question to her. Orihime watched as his shoulders hunched around his frame. While she was still hurt by his actions the question was a very simple one for her to answer.

"No."

He dared to meet her glistening eyes.

"I'm upset and very hurt by what you did but I could never hate you."

Warm tendrils of hope spread throughout Ichigo's body, lifting his spirits in ways he'd never thought possible. If she didn't hate him maybe there was hope for them. Each small progress forward, no matter how small, was a victory in his eyes.

"I know I hurt you. And I can never apologize enough for my stupidity for hiding things from you but..." Ichigo held her gaze as he pleaded with her, "but...can you forgive me? Can you give me another chance?"

Orihime's confused eyes bored into his. "Another chance? Another chance for what? I told you I don't hate you and I want so much to keep being your friend."

"What if I want more than that?"

His hushed words made her heart clench painfully. There's no way he just said that. There was absolutely no way he just uttered those words. The pounding of her own blood resounded so loudly in her ears. He had to be playing with her. This was a trick. She had simply gotten so nervous about this conversation with him that she passed out. This had to be another weird dream her haphazard mind concocted. The sharp pain from the pinch on her hand assured her she wasn't dreaming. The only other explanation wasn't possible.

"That's not funny Ichigo."

"I wasn't trying to be." he immediately replied.

Her mouth open and closed repeatedly yet no words formed. Ichigo took advantage of her momentary speechlessness.

"I told you I didn't know how I felt before and I kept your words secret so I could think things through myself. And I did Orihime. I realized exactly what I want."

"Wh...what is that?" she asked breathlessly.

"I want to be with you."

As that sentence washed over her everything inside of her stilled. Her mind went completely blank and her muscles went lax. Her head collapsed into her hands as hot tears burned the back of her eyes.

"Orihime?"

Why? Why now? How could he say that now?

She had given up. Though she wasn't prepared to even think of opening her heart to someone else she had resolved to close it to Ichigo. He would now be just a friend to her. As long as she could keep his friendship she would somehow be okay. Now...after she'd made her resolve, he claims he wants to be with her?

Only in her dreams had she ever heard that statement but she could remember everyone of them clearly. They would be sitting on the banks by the river, or perhaps tying a wish for Tanabata on the tree, once she'd dreamed he'd confessed to her as he burst into that suffocating room they'd locked her in while she was in Hueco Mundo. No matter what, every time he said those words happiness flooded her system and she would throw herself into his arms. He would hold her tightly and whisper words sweetly to her.

The happiness didn't come this time. Confusion, pain, disbelief – she wasn't sure what she felt.

"Orihime please."

How could he want to be with her? He'd never done anything to show he cared about her in that way. Well, perhaps he was going to kiss her that time at the beach but that was so long ago and it never happened. Nothing else he'd done...

Wait.

Was that why he treated Masaru-san so poorly? Could it be possible he had been jealous? Kami how could she not have noticed it? Why didn't he just say something to her? True, she'd never admitted her love for him but he knew. He knew how she felt! If he wanted to be with her he knew perfectly well how she would have responded.

"Orihime..."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why would you do this to me now? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"Orihime I..."

"Why!" her fierce eyes met his own as she quickly threw her hands onto the table. "Why didn't you say something earlier? You knew. You knew exactly how I felt!"

He felt she was justified in the angry glares she was sending him but he could feel his own pride welling up. "This isn't exactly easy for me."

"Easy for you? Ichigo..." she wasn't sure ether the tears rolling down her face were the result of her anger or sadness. "You think this has been easy for me? I've loved you for so long. I never said anything because I didn't want to burden you with my feelings. I never thought you could have feelings for me so I kept that secret close to my heart. I truly didn't think I would survive removing the hogyoku from Aizen so I told you. I decided to take one selfish moment for myself."

Tears rolled down her cheeks before dripping onto the pristine white collar of her school shirt. For every tear she shed Ichigo felt his heart clench. She kept silent about the way she felt because she didn't want to burden him. The only thing she did before she knew she would die is capture a small moment of happiness for herself.

No matter how embarrassing it would be nor how uncomfortable it made him, she deserved to hear everything he'd figured out while he lay in his bed after his father left him.

"I know I just keep apologizing but I'm truly sorry for making you feel this way Orihime. Sometimes it just takes me a while to figure things out. I'm sure you've noticed I can be a bit thick." he chose to believe the huff of breath from her was an attempt at a laugh. "I've spent the last year thinking about you. I mean _really_ thinking about you." he felt the blush fight it's way to his face as he admitted that. At least, for his pride's sake, she turned scarlet as well.

"It took me a while to figure out why I wanted to be near you so much. Why, when you started being all friendly with that ass...I mean with Hayashi, why I got so upset." He stared into her stormy eyes and, without meaning to, his voice dropped lower and softer. "Why every time I saw you my heart started to beat faster. Why, when I thought about you, I would be hit with an overwhelming urge to see you; even if just to see the smile on your face."

Ichigo slowly reached across the table and ran his fingers lightly over hers. Ever so slowly, he traced the delicate lines of her alabaster flesh before he gently placed his hand over hers. Neither could deny the near electric shock they both felt as their skin made contact with the others. Ichigo could feel his blood heating with just that light contact with the healer.

"How, even being this close to you, makes my stomach tie in knots."

His eyes remained focused on their joined hands so he saw the pimpling of goosebumps that raised along her arm and heard the _Kami-sama_ that rushed through her cherry lips heatedly. He glanced up at her through his dark orange bangs to plead with her once again.

"Please Orihime...give me another chance."

Orihime could do little more than stare back into his heated chocolate eyes. Her skin tingled all the way from her fingers to her toes at his touch and his words. Kami she wanted nothing more than to follow her dreams patterns and throw herself into his arms but she was still scared and wanted to be cautious. This must be what the trial of Hueco Mundo and Aizen had done to her character. Before, she wouldn't have thought twice about launching herself at the man she loved at his pleas but now...now, after everything she'd been through, her self-preservation was a bit stronger. The need to guard her heart let itself be known.

"I...I just don't know Ichigo." she whispered.

He gripped her hand tighter as pain shot through his heart once again.

She saw the deep lines his furrowed brow caused as he seemed to recoil on himself. Orihime turned her hand slightly in order to grasp onto his as well.

"I'm scared." she whispered. "I'm scared of getting hurt like that again. I've convinced myself that you wanted nothing to do with me and that's why you ignored my confession. Now you're sitting here telling me you want to be together." she shook her head as tears pooled into her eyes once more. "I just don't know what to do."

Ichigo reached out and gripped her hand between both of his as he rose on his knees in order to lean closer to her. "Orihime I swear to you I will never hurt you like that again. I can't say I won't ever do anything to upset you, that wouldn't be realistic of me, but I can swear that I will work every single day to make you smile, to keep you safe, to make you happy."

Happiness began coursing through her veins so quickly she just knew she would burst from it. Her head leaned forward to rest against their clasped hands. "The only thing I've ever wanted is you Ichigo. Just you, like you always are. I ju..."

"Orihime." he interrupted. "Can we try? Please can we just try? No more lies, no more hidden truths...just you...and me."

There were no lies within the depths of his gaze. Orihime saw nothing but the naked truth lain out before her. There had been pain, yes, but pain came with love. She remembered a quote she once read.

_A love that hasn't been tested isn't true love. Love must be proved, generally though hardship._

There had been more than enough hardship throughout this ordeal with Ichigo but maybe, just maybe, it would give them a stronger foundation to build upon.

She was still scared of being hurt. Scared that this was all too good to be true, but sitting back and letting fear run her life was not the way she wanted to be. She wanted to be a strong woman; someone who didn't always need taking care of nor needed to be protected. Turning away from Ichigo just because she was scared of what could be could perhaps ruin her chances for a happy future.

Gathering her courage around her she once again looked up into his expectant eyes. "Okay. No hidden truths. Just you and me right?"

Ichigo's eyes widened before a large grin split his face. He looked so boyishly handsome in that moment a grin pulled her lips up as well.

"Just you and me. That's all I want Orihime, just you."

It wouldn't be easy, he was well aware of that fact. There would be barriers they had both placed between them to overcome, but it didn't matter. Nothing else mattered because at the end of the day, she was holding his hand and smiling at him once again.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

* * *

**A/N:**

**The quote is by Ronald B. Tobias. **

**Whew...I'm buying myself a Hershey's bar after this one. It isn't one of my normal long chapters but I think this needed to stand alone. Plus, the angst factor was getting too high and nearly strangled me! **

**Lord, I hope I kept them in character as much as humanly possibly while writing this type of scene. **

**This was a difficult one for me and I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think about it. **

**From here on out we begin the true Ichi/Hime relationship. It's not gonna be all daises and sunshine but we're definitely on the right track now. **

**Much love to all my readers! You people are the greatest in the world! Big hugs and kisses to you all!**


	16. Chapter 16: Firsts

**Firsts**

Orihime's smile was almost as bright as usual as she waved to her neighbor on her way to school. Her conversation with Ichigo the night before played in her head almost constantly. The way his dark eyes shone with happiness when she agreed to give them another chance warmed her very soul. The way his calloused hand felt wrapped around hers still sent a rush of heat through her blood. He'd continued to hold onto her hand right until the moment he left.

The memory of the pain she'd felt when she believed he'd ignored her feelings had not left her. Though she was technically "dating" Ichigo now, she wasn't rushing into the situation with blinders on. No matter how happy she actually was over his feelings, and the constant blush she fought at the thought of being together with him, a small part of her was still hesitant about everything. She just didn't think she was strong enough to go through such a painful experience again. Yes, this was what she wanted with all her heart and soul but the events over the past year, past two years really, forced her to grow up quickly. Taking care of herself and living alone should have made her grow up a long time ago. Unfortunately, she found there were other departments in which she had a ways to go.

The pain she'd suffered recently shattered the last small illusions she kept about love. It wasn't all happiness and joy; pain could very well accompany the love a person felt for another. While she was familiar with the pain a family's love, or lack thereof, could hold, she now had the knowledge that romantic love could hurt even worse. Even still, knowing that very fact, she knew she still loved Ichigo with everything she was. He hurt her, that much was true, but even through that he felt some similar threads of pain as well. While she knew he was being completely honest with her last night, she wasn't sure what he truly wanted out of a relationship with her. She knew exactly what she wanted from him though.

Everything.

It was selfish and greedy but she couldn't stop herself from craving him in every way. She wanted everything with him. It didn't seem possible that at 16 years old she'd be so confident in what she wanted, but there was nothing about her life that could be considered normal. She was absolutely sure of her decision but she wasn't going to say any of that to Ichigo.

At least...not yet.

Orihime wanted to know exactly what Ichigo wanted from her as well. While he wasn't one to be completely open with his feelings, she hoped she could garner his wishes through his actions. He knew exactly how she felt about him; there was no need for her to explain her feelings again. While he didn't declare exactly what he felt for her, his honest admission of wanting to be with her let her know he felt something much more than friendship for her.

There was only one way to see how things would go and that was to be patient and take it one step at a time. She had waited for a few years now to be in this situation with Ichigo, she could be patient and wait a little longer to see how it developed.

As she rounded the corner of her block her heart skipped a beat as her face flushed at the sight of the very person she was thinking of. Ichigo had his head down and hands shoved in his pockets as he made his way towards her. It was obvious he didn't notice her and he continued to grumble to himself about something. She took a moment to compose herself and will her blush away before she called to him.

"Good morning Ichigo-kun."

His head snapped up at her voice and his face flushed as well. He seemed to falter a bit at her appearance but quickly composed himself to answer.

"Morning. Sorry 'bout that, I was thinking about something."

"Is everything okay?" she asked with a tinge of worry to her voice.

"Yeah. Just my stupid father as usual."

"Oh. Okay then." she replied and a noticeably awkward tension descended upon the two. Orihime shifted her bag to her other hand as she looked up to his face once again.

"Umm...what are you doing here?"

Ichigo blushed once again and his hand came up to rub the back of his neck unconsciously as he looked away. "I...uh...I just wanted to walk you to school." he replied. He risked a look at her face before adding quickly. "If that's okay."

His obvious nervousness helped to quell some of her own as she answered with a genuine smile. "Of course."

Ichigo finally smiled as her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink. "Okay then." he waited for her to catch up to his side before turning and walking back in the direction of school.

Both teens lapsed into silence as they walked beside one another. The silence was laced with tension as neither knew how to begin a conversation with the other. After the emotional talk they had the night before, things were a little strained between them for this first meeting. Orihime was happy just to be beside him but was afraid she would do something to embarrass herself horribly. Ichigo was still embarrassed over the things he'd said last night. Everything he said was true but that didn't make saying it aloud any easier. He was glad he'd said it because she was giving him another chance. Now though, he didn't know what to say. How should he interact with her? Should he be different than normal? Was he supposed to say something sappy like he heard other guys doing? Just the thought of saying some of that crap had him reeling.

He looked down to the woman walking beside him and he felt himself calm down a little. She was back beside him. The longing he'd had for her presence over the past couple of months was gone as her soothing reiatsu washed over him. It really didn't matter what he had to say, he decided. As long as she stayed near him like this he would do whatever it took.

"Sorry." he said, causing her to look up at him. "I don't really know what I'm supposed to do." he admitted quietly.

"Do about what?" she asked.

"It's just..." he sighed heavily as he forced himself to meet her eyes, despite the redness of his cheeks. "I've never been in a relationship before. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

As his words descended on her a small, understanding smile took root on her face. "Well, neither have I and I may not know what other people do but I just want you to be yourself. Like I said last night, that's all I've ever wanted."

His eyes softened as he returned her smile. Once again he was dumb struck that such a wonderful woman could be in love with him. He reached between them slowly and laced his fingers with hers. "Is this okay?" he asked softly and was rewarded by another blush from the woman. She smiled softly and squeezed his hand in return.

The journey to school was still silent but the tension from before had melted away.

* * *

Keigo looked around his small group of friends and decided something was terribly wrong. Mizuiro sat texting on his phone as usual but even he flickered his eyes back and forth between the top ranking student of their class and the so called "punk".

From the moment Ichigo walked into the classroom, Ishida turned angry eyes on him. Ichigo, at first, seemed to be shocked at the hostility his friend showed him but that soon turned to annoyance and the two of them had been throwing glares at each other throughout the day.

This sort of angry tension was not something he dealt well with and he'd tried several times to break the silence; but to no avail. Even their easy going large friend, Chado, was tense. Keigo and Mizuiro exchanged glances and silently agreed to get out of their and let them deal with whatever was bothering them. As the friends rose they tried to say goodbye to their companions but it seems they weren't heard.

As Keigo felt that weird heavy feeling flow from Ichigo he ran towards the staircase. Whatever was about to go down, he didn't want to see.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Ichigo crumpled his juice box in his hand as he continued to stare Ishida down. He wasn't sure what crawled up the Quincy's ass but he was tired of the damning looks the man had been sending him all day. While Chado wasn't sending him the same kind of glances, he was sitting near the dark haired man. Ichigo felt his friend was silently showing his support of whatever Ishida was pissed about.

He heard the door to the roof bang shut and he spared a glance in it's direction. Keigo and Mizuiro were now where to be found. Apparently, they were tired of the palpable anger flowing around the group and decided to split.

Good.

Now he could figure out what the hell was going on.

"Oi, Ishida. What the fuck is your problem?"

Ishida raised one eye-brow elegantly as he glared at the substitute. "I beg your pardon?"

"Tch. Begging ain't something you do so try that again." Ichigo responded.

"Idiot." Ishida mumbled before speaking to Ichigo once again. "You should know exactly where my anger is coming from."

Ichigo raised his brows in surprise. "If I knew I wouldn't be asking now would I?"

"You are such a dense creature."

"What was that?" Ichigo asked heatedly.

"Inoue-san."

At that one word from Ishida, Ichigo stopped himself from getting up and stalking towards the Quincy. He glanced towards Chado and saw him staring steadily back through his overgrown bangs. The unspoken question resting within his dark eyes.

Ichigo sighed and leaned back against the wall once more. At least he knew what this was about now. "She's fine."

"You expect me to be content with that answer?" Ishida asked.

"Lay off Ishida. It's none of your business anyway." Ichigo said without looking back towards the two.

"While that may be true I'm afraid I can't, as you so eloquently put it, "lay off". I care deeply for Inoue-san and now that I know you were the cause of her pain I will not stop questioning you until I'm satisfied with the answer I receive."

Ichigo felt his eyebrow begin to tick. He knew Ishida was telling the truth; he could be downright annoying when he wanted to know the answer to something. He crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to stare down his friend once again. "Like I already said, she's fine. _We're_ fine."

Ishida opened his mouth to speak but Sado spoke first.

"We're just concerned Ichigo. About both of you."

"Speak for yourself." Ishida mumbled. Sado ignored the comment and continued on.

"I'm sorry if you feel I've invaded your privacy by telling Ishida what I heard but I really was worried for the two of you. I could tell both of you were really hurt that night."

Ichigo sighed heavily and allowed his hands to fall into his lap. As much as he didn't like his private matters being known by others, he knew Chado was telling the truth when he said he was worried for them. "It's alright Chado. You were there that night after all. You know exactly what happened."

"I can't believe even you could be that big of an idiot Kurosaki."

"Shut up Ishida! Damn it, I didn't know what to do at first okay? I thought I was making the best decision I could at the time."

"Look where thinking got you." Ishida replied.

"Yeah, no shit." Ichigo said as his shoulders slumped. "I fucked up big time with her. But it's okay now. Well, maybe not okay but we're getting there."

Ishida regarded his friend as he thought about his words. He truly was sorry for the pain he'd caused their friend and in doing so, hurting himself. Ishida could already tell things were better between Ichigo and Orihime; he'd seen them walking to school that morning holding hands, both of them with slight smiles on their faces. He couldn't stop himself, though, from berating the man for his actions. Seeing him realize the gravity of his situation was enough. As long as they'd worked through their problems he was content to drop the issue. It wasn't like he was exactly comfortable discussing matters such as these anyway.

"Whatever. Just don't ever hurt her like that again Kurosaki. If you do you'll find out just how much more powerful a Quincy is than a shinigami." Ishida said with a tiny smirk to his face.

Ichigo caught the almost teasing glint to Ishida's eyes and realized his friend had moved on past this incident. He also recognized the underlying threat there. Ichigo was positive Ishida held no such feelings for Orihime but he cared for her a great deal as his friend and as such, reserved the right to threaten anyone who would hurt her. Ichigo swore to himself if he ever hurt her again, he would welcome any violence from his Quincy team mate.

"Yeah whatever Ishida. I could kick your ass to Seireitei and back and you know it." Ichigo replied with his cocky grin.

"Really? Wanna test that theory? There's not been many attacks lately so I'm sure you're out of practice. A true warrior would keep his skills up between battles. That's what separates us _shinigami_."

"Out of practice? Just try me _Quincy_. I'm game. Anywhere, anytime...just name it."

Sado sat back, allowing the weight to roll of his shoulders, as he watched his friends bicker like normal. Whatever was said between Ichigo and Orihime must have been enough to overcome the hurt they both were under. Ichigo's eyes held the truth as he said they were "getting there" in reference to their relationship. He truly hoped that was the case. If anyone deserved their happiness it was those two. Both had been through so much, together and separate, in their lives and they deserved to find peace; especially with each other.

Sado sighed as the bickering quickly turned into fists being exchanged. He would allow them to fight it out for the moment. Without the usual rash of hollows plaguing the area they both needed to expend the energy. Besides, for once he was enjoying the show.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Ichigo chuckled at Orihime's story about her odd dream the night before. He was glad to listen to her speak about the nonsensical dreams she had now instead of those nightmares that plagues her before. He found comfort in the small, warm hand enclosed in his as they walked home from school together. With Tatsuki still away for her tournament, there had been no question about Ichigo walking her home everyday. He wasn't sure how Tatsuki was going to react to his being together with Orihime but he wasn't worrying about that for now.

The week may have started out kinda rough but as the days rolled by, things had begun to go rather smoothly between the two bright haired teens. Ichigo found himself often searching for her hand as they walked to and from school together. While he was never one for much physical contact with people, besides trading blows, he found himself craving her touch. Even something as small as holding her hand or brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Their walks were no longer filled with silence. They had been able to chat with each other as they once had now that the tense, embarrassed atmosphere surrounding them had vanished. This was something new for both of them and as they had gotten used to it, they found themselves oddly comfortable with the way things had changed.

Orihime pointed to the convenience store and told Ichigo she needed to run inside for a moment. As the store was nearly empty, he waited near the front for her to get what she needed. To pass the time, he browsed the magazine stand near the door which, unfortunately, didn't hold much interest for him either. As he was about to turn away, one of the women's magazines caught his attention. Printed on the front next to the model, in bold letters, was the heading, **How to make your next date a romantic one**.

Date.

Shit, he'd not even though about that.

Should he take her out on a date?

Yes, was the obvious answer. They were already in a relationship but that didn't mean that he didn't need to take her out every once in a while. Now that he had that obvious answer another, more serious problem, plagued his mind.

He had no clue as to what a date entailed.

What should they do? Where should they go? How could he get away without his father asking a thousand different embarrassing questions?

Glancing over his shoulder and seeing Orihime was still occupied with choosing her purchases, he quickly picked up the magazine and scanned its contents for that particular article. He found it easily enough and began reading it. Soon, a heavy blush covered his face and he scowled at the magazine before shoving it back into the stand. There was no way in hell he could say some of the corny shit written in there! Who wrote that crap anyway? Fuck it, he would just do things his way.

"Ichigo-kun?"

He suppressed the yelp in the back of his throat as he quickly turned around at Orihime's call.

"Are you okay? You seem a little flushed." she said.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. You ready?" he stammered quickly and ushered her out of the store before she could see the one magazine falling halfway out of the rack.

She fell into place beside him again as they continued on towards her house. Ichigo still had the contents of that article running through his head. While he knew he couldn't do half of the embarrassing shit it had written, he also knew he wanted to take Orihime out. She said herself she just wanted him to be himself so that's what he was gonna do...and pray she still had a good time with him. He'd figure out what they would do later but first, he had to make sure she didn't have plans for the weekend.

Her apartment came into view quicker than he would have liked and he swallowed nervously before calling to her. "Orihime?"

"Hmm? What is it Ichigo-kun?"

"I...uh...Are you...are you doing anything this weekend?" Shit, why was it so hard to ask a simple question? Especially when he was pretty much confident what her answer would be! For some reason, he still got a tight knot in his stomach just trying to ask her out.

"No. I don't have anything planned. Why?" her head tilted slightly with her curiosity and Ichigo was hard pressed to keep himself from leaning forward and claiming her lips.

"Well, I was thinking we could, maybe do something...this weekend. If you wanted." he tried to sound nonchalant about the matter but was pretty sure that was not how it came out.

He watched as her eyes widened slightly and her mouth formed a cute little 'o' before splitting into a large smile. "That sounds great Ichigo-kun. I'd love to."

Her smile was infectious and he felt himself returning it. She smiled for him again as she turned to go inside her apartment, her hand sliding along his until they were forced to part. Ichigo's entire arm tingled from the contact and his own smile didn't go away until he reached his own home.

* * *

Ichigo checked his pockets for what felt like the hundredth time before walking out of his room as quietly as possible. He didn't want to forget a single thing and be forced to come back home during his date with Orihime. Not that he had much to remember, just his money and house key, but still.

It had taken him forever to decide what to do for their first date. He racked his brain continuously and even went so far as to read one of those girly magazines again that his sister loved. Surprisingly, they had a few good ideas in them. He eventually settled on just going to the movies and out to eat. It was something they'd already done together in a group but now they could do so again by themselves. He knew what kind of taste in movies she had and thankfully it coincided with his own. They could talk over dinner and maybe even take a walk somewhere. He really didn't care at this point. He just wanted to spend some time with her away from his prying family and friends.

The past week at school, while enjoyable with her, had already been a nightmare with his friends. Ishida and Chado didn't say anything but they're knowing gaze was disturbing him. Unfortunately, Keigo and Mizuiro saw them walking to school together one morning and that started the inquisition. Keigo at least waited until they were alone before he began his dramatic cries and pleas to know was this real and how long had it been going on. Mizuiro pretended indifference but Ichigo could see him lean in their direction so he didn't miss a word of the conversation.

A well placed punch and several death threats later, Keigo promised not to say anything about him being with Orihime. Not that he was ashamed of that. That was so far from the truth it was ridiculous. But for now, he just wanted to be able to enjoy being with her without the gossip he knew would ensue once everyone found out.

He crept silently down the stairs, hoping to bypass his nosy father as he made his way to the coat rack. He'd just taken it off the peg when he felt the disturbance behind him. With honed reflexes, he turned swiftly, caught the foot aimed for his head, and threw the body into the wall. His father landed in a heap on the floor, groaning slightly with pain. In no time, his old man was up with a beaming smile on his face.

"You did well dodging that sneak attack my son!"

"Grow up and leave me alone old man!" Ichigo yelled back as he slipped his coat on.

"Where are you going? That looks almost a little too decent for you to be heading out with friends." Isshin said as he looked his son over.

Ichigo looked down to his attire he spent the better part of half an hour stressing over. Never before had he cared so much as to what he wore but today he found himself trying on different shirts and pants vetoing each one for one thing or another. He finally decided on the newer pair of jeans he now wore, the long sleeved white shirt with one of his dark t-shirts over it, and his sneakers. His wore his black jacket over it to combat the cold. While it wasn't necessarily a "nice" or "dressy" outfit, it wasn't the usual print tee and jeans he wore. He could see the gleam in his father's eyes and try as he might, he couldn't think of an excuse fitting to get him out of the house without relaying anything. He sighed in defeat and turned away from his father while he answered.

"I'm not heading out with the guys." he admitted lowly.

Isshin stood there gaping for a moment while his brain processed the statement his son made. It wasn't long before his jaw dropped in surprise and he ran to his late wife's poster, sobbing in joy.

"Masaki! Masaki!" he screamed to the poster. "Our son has finally matured! He's finally going on a date with..." Isshin suddenly stopped mid-rant to turn and glare at Ichigo. "You are going out with Orihime-chan right?"

Ichigo was momentarily stunned by his father's sudden change in attitude. His eyes were narrowed and focused on him while his voice dropped several octaves. Ichigo could only stammer out his reply. "Y-Y-Yeah."

"With the beautiful Orihime-chan! Oh Masaki, my heart is so full."

Ichigo turned away from his embarrassing father, more than a little confused at his earlier reaction, and crept out the door.

* * *

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No sooner than he had reached the stairs of Orihime's apartment, the skies emptied themselves with a torrential downpour. Lighting flashed in the sky and the thunder roared loudly. Ichigo narrowed his gaze at the heaven's, cursing them for the horrible timing. He shook the, thankfully, small amount of rain he did receive from his head as he rang her doorbell.

He still had his head down when her door opened. The first thing he saw was the red toenail polish adorning her small toes. Slowly, he raked his gaze up her body, taking time to appreciate her shapely calves peaking from underneath the knee length white flowing skirt she wore. His drank in her flaring hips and flat stomach encased in a deep blue fitted blouse. The shirt dipped in a heart shaped neckline exposing the tiniest bit of her cleavage for his hungry gaze. That's all that was needed for Ichigo to feel his blood begun to run hot. Her hair fell in a silky waterfall down her back. By the time he met her gaze he felt the need to go stand in the pouring rain once again.

"Oh goodness, you didn't escape the rain did you? Come in and get warm again." she said and took him gently by the hand and pulled him along.

He dropped his coat off by the door and hung it on a peg there. Orihime came out from the back room with a towel in hand for him. He offered his thanks before running the fluffy towel over his dampened orange locks.

Ichigo came to stand behind Orihime as she looked out the window to the nasty weather that suddenly came upon them. He noticed the slight down turn to her rosy lips.

"I'm sorry. It seems the weather has ruined our night out." Ichigo said as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

She shook her head once and a determined look came over her face. She tilted her head back to look at him. "No it hasn't. We just need to change the plans a little."

He was momentarily stunned by her bright smile. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you said we were gonna go see a movie right?" he nodded yes so she continued. "We can watch one right here!" She stepped around him and picked up a few DVD boxes laying on her table. "See, Chizuru-chan gave me these movies to watch a few days ago and I never got around to it. We can watch one of these."

Her happy attitude was washing away his own dampened spirits and he pulled out his cell phone with a smirk. "You like that Korean place a few blocks away right?"

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Ichigo laughed at the ridiculous movie he was currently watching with Orihime. He could see why Chizuru had given her these to watch. They were definitely science fiction but surprisingly funny. He couldn't remember laughing so much at a movie in a while. Orihime had her hands wrapped around her stomach as she too was laughing hard at the movie. He had though the night would be ruined but he found the sudden downpour might have been the best thing that could have happened tonight.

Ichigo had laughed at the disgruntled face of the poor delivery man who'd had to brave the weather to bring their order, which earned him a playful smack on the arm from Orihime. However, the food was delicious and he was able to enjoy their conversation and laughter without worrying about bothering anyone else. Every time she smiled it seemed to trigger his own. Ever time she laughed he wanted to laugh right along with her. He found a new favorite hobby as well. Teasing her brought the most beautiful blush to her cheeks as well as an adorable pout he kept longing to taste. He found himself reaching across the table several times to pluck a mushroom from her plate just to see that pout on her face.

After they'd eaten, they settled onto the couch to watch the movie. Time after time they laughed together at the antics of the main character. Ichigo couldn't remember a time he'd had so much fun. He became so comfortable next to her he didn't notice, at first, when he put his arm around her shoulder. He did notice, however, when she leaned her body into his in an effort to get more comfortable with the position. Almost immediately his heartbeat increased as he took notice of the soft, feminine curves plastered to his hard lines. He tried to remain focused on the movie but with just the slightest movement, he felt the weight of her breast brush against his chest and his skin almost burned from the contact.

The rest of the movie was a blur and he was only able to focus just enough to catch the ending. As the credits rolled, Orihime wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and looked up to him. The flush on her cheeks from her laughter gave her a glow that sent his heart pounding even harder.

"That was a great movie wasn't it."

"Yeah." he replied though he honestly couldn't remember the last third of it.

"I'm so glad we did this. It's been so much fun."

That Ichigo didn't have a problem replying honestly to. "Yeah it has. I'm kinda glad for the rain now."

Orihime felt her own heartbeat speed up at the soft look in his eyes. "Me too." she replied.

Though she was loathe to move, Orihime got up to remove the DVD from the player and return it to its box. Sitting pressed up to Ichigo with his arm wrapped around her had the most amazing effect on her senses. While she continued to enjoy the movie, she was hyper aware of every move he made. His scent filled her nose as his warmth permeated her being. She would have been content to sit like that all night.

"I guess I should go. It's getting late." Ichigo said as he rose from the couch as well. Orihime followed him to the door as he slipped into his jacket.

"At least it stopped raining." she said with a slight smile. For some reason, she was getting nervous. Her fingers fiddled with the end of her shirt as she tried to calm herself down.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied. His own thoughts had left him as he warred with himself over something. Seeing her nervous posture pushed him to leave. "Well, I'll call you later?"

"Okay. Thanks again...for tonight." she said quietly as she looked up at his tall figure.

She noticed his cheeks darken with color but he grabbed the doorknob and left as he said goodnight again. Orihime found herself somewhat disappointed but shook that off as she thought back over the night. It really had been so much fun being with Ichigo. She had been nervous at the start of the evening, worrying if she would embarrass herself or if he would get bored being around her. Those fears were quickly dispelled as they enjoyed each others company. A bright smile lit her face as she began to walk back toward her sofa. She wasn't able to take more than a couple of steps before a knock sounded at her door. She was shocked to find Ichigo standing there once more.

"Ichi..."

"Sorry, but I...I can't..." She looked on with worry as his words made no sense but stepped back as he pushed himself into her house once more. The door shut loudly as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest. "I can't wait anymore."

She didn't even have time to ask what he meant before he dipped his head and crushed his lips into hers. Only for a moment were her eyes wide with shock before the situation cleared itself in her mind. She smiled into his lips as her eyes shut and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ichigo would have shouted his joy to the sky had his lips not otherwise been occupied. He'd fought with himself before leaving. He wanted to kiss her so badly but worried it might be too soon. When she looked like that before he left he almost gave into the impulse but ushered himself out the door. He couldn't even make it to the staircase before he stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to her apartment. Perhaps it was too soon and he could very well be making a mistake but he couldn't fight it any longer. The urge to run his lips over her smooth flesh was more than he could bear.

When she returned his kiss, he could have jumped with joy. However, he decided to focus on the incredibly tantalizing skin he was currently feasting on. Not even in his dreams had she tasted so good. Over and over again he ran his lips across hers. The dainty fingers tangling in his hair were driving him crazy and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his body. He felt the weight of her breasts crush against his chest and desire swept through him like a tidal wave.

He held himself in check but allowed his tongue to come out and run across the rosy flesh of her lips. A tiny whimper escaped her throat and she opened her mouth for him. Their tongues rubbing against one another sent a rush of heat directly to his groin and he pulled away in order to keep a hold of himself.

Her arms were still around his neck as he pulled back to look into her flushed face. Slowly, her eyes opened and his gut clenched at the heated look she wore. He knew then and there, if she ever set out to seduce him he would be a lost man.

A slow smile started on her face as she looked back into his chocolate eyes. "So that's what you came back for."

He chuckled as he leaned his forehead against hers, never breaking their eye contact. "Yeah." he drawled. "I couldn't leave without doing that. Not this time."

"Then I'm glad you came back." she admitted with a deeper blush.

"So am I." he lightly pressed his lips to hers once again before stepping away. "I'm actually gonna leave this time."

Orihime couldn't actually reply but gave some sort of agreeing murmur to which he chuckled again. "Lock the door when I leave Orihime."

" 'kay."

Ichigo shook his head but a satisfied smile was on his face that reached his eyes. "I'll see you later."

He pulled the door shut and stood there until he finally heard the lock click into place. Were he a lesser man he would have jumped and shouted a few times. Being who he was, he was content to walk home with a ridiculous grin on his face.

Orihime walked back to her couch in a daze before collapsing onto it. Her fingers came up to idly trace the edges of her lips. She could still feel the warmth of Ichigo's lips lingering there. The small of her back still burned with his touch.

Even hours later their thoughts remained as one.

_I'm so glad it rained. _

* * *

**A/N:**

**I apologize for my late update but I unfortunately had a car accident and was only recently able to being writing again. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you let me know what you think!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: The New Threat **

Explosions resounded throughout the area setting off a chain reaction of fear and astonishment in the bystanders. They scattered like insects, bumping into each other as they scrambled for cover from the falling debris. Shards of glass fell from the sky slicing into the frail skin of those unfortunate to have not found cover.

The shinigami raced to the area, swords drawn and battle ready for the unknown enemy. They watched as flames licked up the side of the building; the long standing wood crackling and popping under the intense heat of the fire. Before anyone could began questioning what happened, another explosion thundered in the distant part of the large home. Screams were heard from the area and those standing by watched in horror as men and women ran from the building, tearing at their own bodies which were burning with the flames from the nameless enemy.

"What the hell is going o..."

The shinigami's question went unanswered as one by one they lifted their heads to the sky in response to the massive wave of reiatsu that descended upon the area, causing most of the fighters present to release their shikai in preparation. Long, bony fingers reached through the small gap in the bright blue sky, opening the layer separating their worlds. The black night of Hueco Mundo's sky appeared behind the large hands and those not wielding a sword fled the area.

The sounding alarms could just be heard over the raging fires covering the once noble home. Soon, even that sound was drowned out by the loud cries of the hollows peaking through the portal. Dozens of the soul eating creatures lifeless eyes scanned the ground below them as if already picking out their favorite course of the meal.

The captains stared into the ever widening gap fearlessly; their squadrons gathering around them in preparation for the battle. A team of workers fought to stop the now roaring blaze from consuming the entire household. Buckets of water passed hand to hand before being thrown onto the hungry flames that threatened to end the structure that had stood for hundreds of years.

The shinigami spared only a glance at one another before they all took to the skies. They raced as one towards the mass of hollows now pouring out the broken sky of Seireitei.

* * *

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"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you to work? Or come pick you up when you get off?" Ichigo asked as he and Orihime reached her apartment.

"I'm sure." she said with a bright smile on her face. "I know Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan want to spend time with you as well. Besides, there's that math test coming up that you need to study for."

Ichigo's usual frown deepened somewhat with that comment. "You say that but when are you gonna study since you're working for the next three days?"

"Oh, I always manage to find time to study. Don't worry about me Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo squeezed the small hand he was holding a bit tighter as his dark eyes peered into her own. "I always worry about you."

Orihime couldn't stop the small blush from appearing on her cheeks at his words. No matter how many times he turned those burning eyes of his on her, she couldn't get used to the thrill they sent through her. As always, his words sparked such happiness in her that she almost felt trapped in an illusion. It seemed that she was in one of her own dreams that she never wanted to awaken from.

She had the urge to glare at her apartment door for the first time in her life. Standing in front of it meant her time with Ichigo was over for the day and she wanted nothing more than to invite him in and stay in his presence for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, she had to change and get ready for her part-time job at the bakery and if Ichigo came in, well...she was sure he would prove to be too much of a distraction for her to resist.

"I guess I should get ready for work."

He heard the regret in her voice and his lips turned up slightly. "Yeah, I'll see you in the morning."

"Oh wait!" she cried out and grasped his hand to keep him in place.

"Huh?"

"Tatsuki-chan will be back in the morning."

The small smile that had been in place fell. Not that he wasn't happy Tatsuki was coming home but her arrival signified the end of his morning walks with Orihime. At least, he didn't think he'd be able to join her for a few days anyway.

It was a few days too many.

Even if it meant he had to leave for school early, he wouldn't trade his morning walks with Orihime for anything. His father would, inevitably, piss him off in the mornings but with one smile from her he found his displeasure against everything in general melting away. It truly was amazing – the effect she had on him. Whether they were discussing their friends, hollows, or nonsensical things, he found himself wrapped up in the conversation. Even just listening to her speak about her, sometimes, odd dreams was calming to him.

Was it truly only a year ago he was blind to the amazing woman standing next to him?

"Ichigo-kun?"

He looked up to find her gray eyes scrunched slightly as she studied his face. "Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"Oh. Well, like I was saying I think...maybe...maybe I should talk to Tatsuki-chan first just so she knows about...ummm...us." The last part was said shyly and with that blush back on her face.

Ichigo's lips tilted in a smirk once again. He held fast to her hand as he took a step forward, closing the small distance between them. "Yeah? What about us?" his husky voice drawled.

Her eyes flickered, almost nervously, between his chocolate orbs and the lips tilted upwards ever so slightly. She could feel the heat of his body warming her own and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "Th-that we're...umm...together, now."

His free hand lifted to brush the silky hair away from her shoulders, making sure to make contact with the slightly chilled skin of her neck. He felt her shudder under his touch and a rush of pride swept through him. "What are you gonna say?"

His hand had returned to rub soft circles just under her ear. Orihime saw his lips move but couldn't focus on the words he said; her heart was beating too loudly in her ears to concentrate on anything else.

Kami, how did he expect her to hold a conversation when he was looking at her like that? She swallowed heavily as her eyes kept drifting back to his lips. He wasn't talking any longer but her gaze wouldn't waver. Why couldn't he lean forward just a bit more?

Would he think she was too brazen if she just closed the distance herself?

He hadn't kissed her again since the night of their first date but it had been the sole focus of her thoughts for the past week. Day, night, it didn't matter; over and over again she replayed his every move that night. How he looked when she opened the door again, how he looked before he pulled her to his chest, the feel of his lips running over her own, the taste of him...

Her heart beat even faster.

"Orihime?" Ichigo called to her when she didn't answer. He saw her gaze kept dropping to his lips and his hand tightened around her own. If she kept doing that there was no way he was going to be able to keep hold of himself – whether they were in public or not.

Not that he was any better.

Too many times over the last few minutes he'd watched her teeth dip into the tender flesh of her lips. He wanted to pull her lip into his own just to stop the tantalizing image she kept presenting to him.

She beat him to it.

He groaned aloud as she reached up and pressed her moist lips against his own. His fingers weaved into the silken mass of auburn hair and tilted her head to deepen the kiss. She pulled her hand from his but immediately brought it up to wrap around his back, clenching her fingers into his jacket.

The fact that they were standing in front of her apartment, where anyone walking by could see them, was the farthest thing from Ichigo's mind as he slipped his tongue past her plump lips. Her sweet taste invaded his senses as he ravaged her mouth.

She may have initiated it but he quickly dominated the kiss, slanting his lips over hers again and again until he could feel her clinging to his muscled frame. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of her hips as her tongue came to shyly battle with his own. Another groan tore from his throat as heat flashed through his body.

Ichigo pulled away from her lips and held her body tightly against his own. As his head bent to fall on her shoulders, he ran his lips over the tender flesh of her neck. Her sharp intake of breath at the action had him chuckling lightly before repeating it.

"Sensitive are we?"

She could feel his lips brushing against her skin with every word he spoke. Shivers ran down her spine as his spicy scent filled her nose. He was wrapped around her – surrounding her in a layer of heat nothing could penetrate. Another whimper escaped her as he continued to kiss and suckle the flesh before him.

What did he say to her?

It was too difficult to think when his mouth was doing the most amazing things to her senses. She felt his hand rubbing her lower back, getting dangerously lower, but she found herself secretly wishing he would take that extra step.

Her dreams and longings could never measure up to the real sensations he was making her experience. Ichigo's teeth scraped against her earlobe and her hands dug into his back in response. An ache developed in her breasts and she felt her nipples tighten behind the silky barrier of her bra.

Their lips met once again in a passionate embrace before either of them could part with the other.

Ichigo was slow to remove his hands from their clutches on her body but he forced himself to step back. It was a good thing he hadn't walked her to work; she would need time to get that flush from her cheeks before greeting customers. He filed that piece of information away for future reference.

Orihime's thoughts were slow in returning after the assault Ichigo just placed on her senses. She fought against the pulse thumping through her body, demanding him to return to what he was doing. Her awareness of time returned to her though and helped to calm down the frantic racing of her heart.

"I...uh...I should get ready for work." she said breathlessly. He merely smirked in response. "I'll talk to Tatsuki-chan in the morning so I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow then."

"I think I'll wait by the gates for you two. I'd rather not have witnesses around just in case she wants to try an' kick my ass."

"She wouldn't do that...I mean, I don't think so. Although after our last conversation she's probably gonna be shocked."

"Huh? What conversation?" he asked, confused.

She waved her hands quickly as she tried to dismiss the comment she meant to make only in her own mind. "Oh n-nothing. It was nothing Ichigo-kun, don't worry about it."

He was familiar with her nervous actions meaning she was hiding something but he allowed the matter to drop. "Alright. Be careful going to work okay?"

"I promise I will. I'll see you tomorrow then." she turned to go inside but he grabbed her shoulder to stop her. He leaned in and placed a quick, chaste kiss to her lips.

"Bye Orihime."

She stood at her door for a moment in wide eyed wonder as she stared at his retreating form. Just when she'd got her bearings about her he had to go and shut her brain down again.

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Never, not once in a million years was this what she was expecting to see.

Standing in front of the apartment door, her best friend and her childhood friend were kissing.

Kissing!

Oh and it wasn't just any kiss, oh no. They were locked in a passionate embrace that was obviously not their first with each other.

How in the hell did it go from Orihime weeping in her arms about giving up on Ichigo to them making out in front of her apartment?

Tatsuki had no idea what happened in the past two weeks but she was damn sure gonna find out. She'd wait until morning since she overheard Orihime say she had to work.

Besides, she needed the time to cool her head so she could actually hear what Orihime had to say about this.

* * *

Blood spattered across the crushed leaves of the once beautiful rose bushes that adorned the front of the burning home. Now the roses lay in ruins, crushed beneath the massive feet of the attacking hollows. Wave after wave of the creatures descended through the portal connecting their worlds. They were mindless in their attacks; lunging for anyone within their striking distance.

The fire still burned, though not as brightly as it had before. With the protection of the shinigami behind them, the workers continued on in their task of putting the blaze out. Anger settled into his being as he watched the walls of the home crumble. People had been hurt, scarred beyond recognition from the unforgiving flame.

Lives had been lost.

Their true enemy was still unknown. The hollows weren't capable of setting an explosive device within the compound so he knew there was another party behind the two attacks. Unfortunately, with the confusion surrounding the area there didn't seem to be a way to find the culprit.

Turning slightly, he ducked under the massive claws meant for his head and slid the cool steel of his blade deep between the eyes of the hollow. He simply skirted around the disintegrating being as he continued to search the area for any clue that would lead him to the culprit's identity. Kido spells fired off left and right, barely missing some of the other shinigami as they battled the hordes of hungry beasts.

As he came to the front of his home he noticed something peculiar about the way the fire burned. The far left and right of the manor were burning fiercely but the main entrance to the compound was left intact; only smoke from the other fires filtered into its area. A quick glance behind him confirmed the other shinigami were handling the hollows attack well so he followed his compulsion and went into the manor.

The heat of the fire couldn't even be felt within the confines of the main hall. He searched quickly, glancing into each of the rooms and searching for any foreign reiatsu as he ran along the hallway. Deeper into the main building, he felt a reiatsu that he wasn't familiar with. As he followed the unfamiliar presence, he became curious as to the direction he was heading. Though there were valuable items kept in this particular area of the mansion, they were only of importance to the members of the family. However, if they continued on this path, a few doors down held a particular room that could be of some use to an outsider.

Using his shunpo, he reached the intruder within seconds. The area was dark and the man's back was turned but he could make out a tall, thin figure with dark brown hair reaching his shoulders. Forgoing introductions, he slashed at the figure with his sword, intent on beheading the fool who dared to attack his home.

To his surprise, the figure jumped out of the path of his sword and, using a minor kido spell, blasted off a portion of the roof to escape. He wasted no time but hurried to follow the nameless man as he cleared the mansion. The battle taking place outside had moved closer to the house and he lost sight of the individual in the chaos. He could just feel a flicker of his reiatsu beyond the hollows headed for the direction of the portal. As he was about to speed to his location a scream full of pain reached his ears.

He stopped dead in his tracks as a flicker of what he could only believe to be fear ran down his spine. The horrifying cry sounded again and he made his decision.

Turning away from the portal, he raced into the middle of the battle.

* * *

The neighborhood park was empty of all human life as the stars shown overhead; the street lamps cast a soft glow upon the darkened shadows surrounding the buildings. The only sounds piercing the silence of the night were the calls of the animals...and the laughter of the happy children souls' that played on the slide.

Ichigo watched the scene in confusion.

He'd only left his house to patrol the town for a while to help cure the insomnia he was suffering. His father's antics had riled him up more than usual and the adrenaline was keeping him wide awake. It had been sometime since he roamed the town in his shinigami form so he leapt from his window nearly an hour ago to check on Karakura.

While he'd noticed things had been quiet lately, the surprisingly peaceful atmosphere of the town had him really thinking about the lack of hollows. The issues he'd had with Orihime over the past few months had kept him otherwise occupied and he'd actually forgotten the last time he had to draw Zangetsu. Thinking back on it now he realized it had been nearly five months since the last time he remembered seeing a hollow.

The children's souls playing happily in the park only confirmed that thought. There were four of them gathered together, taking turns on the slide while laughing happily even after their deaths. It was highly unusual for a group of pluses to be gathered together without drawing the attention of a random hollow. If he added his reiatsu to that scenario, it became suspicious.

"So you finally noticed it too?"

Ichigo turned his head slightly to acknowledge the familiar voice behind him.

"What's going on here Ishida?"

The Quincy pushed his glasses back in place and left his perch along the tree to join Ichigo. "I'm not sure but the lack of hollows in the past few months has become disconcerting."

"Yeah, it's been a while since we've had an attack."

"Five months two weeks if I'm correct. Not that I'm sad about their absence but to not have even spotted one in so long reeks of interference from a different party."

Ichigo raised his eyebrow to his friend. "Interference from who?"

"That's the question; and what their purpose is as well."

"Hell, maybe some shinigami is doing us a favor and getting them before they cross over."

Ishida crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded the vizard. "Since when has anyone ever done us a favor."

Ichigo watched the children's spirits with a deep frown. "Not once."

* * *

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Orihime fiddled with her hands nervously and peaked through her long auburn bangs across the table in her room. The deep frown situated on her friends face had her cringing instinctively. Not many times in the past few years of their friendship had Tatsuki been mad at her; Orihime could recall every one of them – unfortunately.

The few tongue lashings she'd received from her pseudo-sister were enough to last her a lifetime but she had a feeling she was in for another one.

"I'm sorry." she murmured.

"For what?" Tatsuki questioned. Her expression didn't change as she stared her friend down.

"Ummm...I don't really know."

"Then why are you apologizing?"

Orihime dared to lift her head a fraction of an inch. "Because you're mad at me and I don't want you to be."

Tatsuki's frown lessened, slightly, at the sincerity of Orihime's words and she released a sigh. "I'm not really mad...exactly, but I am really confused Orihime."

"About what?" the healer asked.

"Before I left here, only two weeks ago mind you, we had a conversation." Tatsuki looked straight into her best friend's eyes as she stressed her words. "You were crying Orihime, crying hard because you said you were giving up on Ichigo. I felt how much you were hurting that day. Now here it is two weeks later and I come home to find you making out with the bastard in front of your apartment. Explain that to me."

Orihime's eyes went wide with her last sentence and she felt her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment. Now she understood why her best friend was upset. "Y-you...saw...that?" she stammered.

"Oh yeah, I saw the whole thing." Tatsuki smirked. "I got in early yesterday and was gonna come see how you were doing - considering how sad you were when I left. But that little scene yesterday was the last damn thing I expected to see." The karate champion raked agitated hands through her short black hair. "I just don't understand Orihime. How in the world did this happen? Am I supposed to be happy for you?"

Orihime could see the conflict in her friend's eyes and she felt a twinge of shame. There was no doubt that she loved Ichigo with her whole heart but Tatsuki was her best friend. She'd been there for her when there wasn't another soul in the world she could turn to. The last thing she wanted was to be on bad terms with Tatsuki.

She was silent for a moment as she regarded one of the most important people in her life. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she spoke to her. "I'm so sorry you saw that only because it confused you. I was planning on telling you about me and Ichigo-kun this morning when I saw you. I knew that after the way I acted before you left that me being with him was gonna be a big shock."

"Yeah." Tatsuki drawled. "That's an understatement."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Orihime's face. "I really hope you can be happy for me Tatsuki-chan."

"I want to be Orihime...I honestly do. I love Ichigo like a brother; I've known him for so many years now and there isn't another person I'd trust you with more than him but this is just so weird. I leave and you're giving up on him. I come back and you're...well, you were there."

Orihime was slightly surprised when the blush came not only to her face but to Tatsuki's as well. As much as she wanted to tell her everything, she knew she couldn't. She couldn't tell her that she confessed to Ichigo before deciding to sacrifice herself for everyone else; that he'd been to scared and confused to say anything about her confession when she didn't remember anything for months about it. Tatsuki wouldn't understand anything about her battle with Aizen...

But she would very well understand how Ichigo ignored her feelings.

Orihime couldn't do that to the bond that Ichigo and Tatsuki shared. They'd been friends for much longer than she'd known him but she also knew how protective Tatsuki was about her. If she found out what Ichigo had done for the past year, they would fight and that's the last thing Orihime wanted to be the cause of. They both meant so much to her and even though she would have to fumble through the truth a bit with Tatsuki, she meant to have them all on happy terms with one another.

"He came to me Tatsuki-chan." she admitted in a soft voice. She almost laughed at the open mouthed shock Tatsuki had on her face. "I promise he did. I was already kinda pulling away from him before you and I talked and that upset him. He finally came to really talk to me a few days after you left and we...well..." a bright blush came to her cheeks once again. "he asked me if we could give it a chance. He said he wanted to be with me and you know that's all I've wanted Tatsuki-chan. I love him and I wanna be with him."

Tatsuki regarded her friend after passionate speech. She didn't feel like she was giving her the whole story but Tatsuki knew there were things that went on she wasn't privy to. Truth be known, she didn't want to be a part of them. It scared her that Orihime was a part of that world but all she could do is trust in Ichigo, Sado, and Ishida to be there for her friend. Maybe this somehow had to do with that world but no matter what, Orihime did indeed look happy. Ichigo too for that matter – at least he did from what Tatsuki could see of his face as he walked away from her auburn haired friend yesterday.

She knew she had a tendency to be over protective of Orihime but the girl could be so scatter brained, not to mention be a magnet for trouble, that Tatsuki couldn't help but to do it. Orihime no longer had the privilege of having her big brother to look out for her so Tatsuki gladly took up the role as her sister. As such, it was well within her right to question anybody who thought they deserved to stand by her side.

Problem was, Ichigo more than deserved the spot. He was an honorable man who gave no second thoughts to protecting those close to him. She'd been his friend for years and knew him very well.

Well, maybe not as much as she thought she did. His want to be with her was kinda out of the blue in her eyes. Sure, they'd spent more time together recently and he did seem unnaturally angry whenever Hayashi was around but...

Tatsuki sighed heavily as she looked into the pleading eyes of her friend. Truth be told she didn't have any right to say who Orihime dated but she knew, deep down, that if she had a problem with the guy Orihime wouldn't see him. Tatsuki had no problem with Ichigo what so ever but this was a big change for her. To come home and find out her friend was now seeing her best friend would have shocked anyone.

If it made her happy Tatsuki would support her no matter what. Maybe even Ichigo could find some happiness. He never did smile the same after the death of his mother.

"If he hurts you I'm gonna smash his face in, childhood friend or not." she finally said.

Orihime squealed and threw her arms around her best friend. "Thank you so much Tatsuki-chan!"

"Yeah yeah." the karate champion said but her own lips twisted up into a smile as she returned the hug.

She began mentally going through her day. There should be about 15 minutes between lunch and math when she could talk to Ichigo alone.

* * *

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Blood still dripped from the laceration to his arm but he ignored it as he strode into the healing area within the fourth squads barracks. The shinigami cast saddened eyes his way and he fought against the very small part of his nature that wanted to lash out to them that she would be fine. Showing such emotions wasn't becoming of his status; truthfully he shouldn't even be having such feelings coursing withing him. Only the brash youngsters, and the barbarian himself, should be the ones feeling such disturbing things.

The acrid smell of rubbing alcohol and medicinal herbs hit him as soon as he opened the door where she was being healed. Taking short, quick breaths allowed him to get used to the strong smell quickly and he strode into the room. The only other wounded person in the room, his vice-captain, laid on a cot not far from her bed – another member of the fourth quad leaning over his muscled frame trying to stop the bleeding coming from his torso. Ignoring the great pain he was in and how tired his body was becoming from the large amount of blood he'd lost, his eyes remained focused on the petite woman spread out on the bed near him. Every so often, he would attempt to reach his arm out to her but the small amount of strength he'd built up for the task would leave him as soon as he lifted his arm from the bed. Fingers shook in guilt and rage as he cursed under his breath.

Turning away from his vice-captain, he approached the bed and called to the woman bending over her small frame. "Unohana-taicho, how is..."

His words died in his throat.

Though he'd made it to the area he heard her scream from he did not see her clearly as she was lifted from the rubble that had nearly crushed her. Raven locks had hid her pale face from his view as she was quickly swept away to the medics by his tattooed subordinate. He meant to follow immediately behind them but a smaller explosion racked the area pelting him with debris from the now destroyed structures. The pain registered with him but he stubbornly ignored all the signals his body was trying to give him. All he knew was that the threat had to be taken care of immediately so he could rush to her side – appearances be damned.

When the last of the hollows fell and the fire had been stopped, he rushed to the healers domain to be by her side.

He could have never prepared himself for the sight that greeted him there.

Dirt, soot, and blood covered the pale skin and high cheekbones that gave the impression she was born into the family and not simply adopted. Beads of sweat gathered at her forehead plastering the silky black locks to her skin. He recognized the deep yellow box surrounding her as he'd been under one of the healing kidos used by Unohana before; unfortunately, it didn't hide her grievous wounds from him.

Blood pooled at the end of the bed before dripping onto the floor like crimson tears. The midnight cloth of her hakama lay in tatters around her thigh, the rest of the material lost to the battle. No matter his upbringing or stringent teachings he received, he couldn't stop the grimace of pain flash across his face as he clearly saw the ragged bones of her knee exposed to the world. The skin surrounding it was jagged and torn; he knew the cut had not been made by a sword. It was as if some object had ripped away the bottom portion of her leg with uneven edges just to cause the most pain possible.

"Ru...ruki..."

"Don't try to talk Abarai-fukutaicho; I'm still trying to heal you."

His hand twitched once. That was all the emotion he could allow to slip past his hardened exterior. Inside, he was boiling with the need to find and kill whoever was responsible for this grievous offense to his family. His eyes narrowed in rage as he continued to watch her life's blood pour onto the cold floor.

Unohana had not paused in her task but she watched the stoic captain with understanding eyes. She turned back to face her patient; regardless how he may have truly felt, he would not appreciate the sympathy she could give him.

"I can stop the bleeding but I will be unable to repair what has been lost." she told him with the ease of one who has delivered devastating news many times in her life.

A cold fear raced through him and his chest tightened with the words of the best healer in Soul Society. Was this truly all that could be done for his pride? So many more dangers had been presented and beaten but a nameless threat would be the one to reduce her to this pitiful condition? As her face scrunched in pain once again, his jaw clenched in determination. There had to be something else that could be done. He couldn't bear to watch her live a life full of pain.

Renji's breathing became harsh. His pain was obvious for all those present to witness as he struggled to convey his message to his captain.

"In...ino..."

"Abarai-fukutaicho please." the fourth squad member tried to silence her wounded patient but he ignored her warning and turned dulled eyes onto the man he wished to surpass one day. His breath came in harsh wheezes, chest heaving with the effort it took to speak.

"Get...In-oue...Ori-hime."

With his message delivered he collapsed back onto the cot; his face peaceful now that he'd slipped into unconsciousness.

Without another word the noble gracefully departed from the room. He waited until he cleared the barracks before he pushed his shunpo to his top speed. The world around him fell into nothing more than a colorful blur as he raced hell bent for the living world.

* * *

Orihime combed her fingers through her hair to remove any tangles that had taken root when she had her hair up for work. Satisfied it was all in place, she said goodbye to her co-workers and headed outside to where Ichigo was waiting for her.

"Sorry, you weren't waiting long were you?" she asked as she came up beside him.

"Nah, just got here." he lied smoothly. He'd been waiting for nearly 30 minutes but he found he liked to watch her trough the windows of the bakery as she went about her nightly routine. "Ready?"

"Yup." she replied with a cheery smile and they began the walk back to her apartment. They made small talk as they walked the familiar darkened path. Orihime was anxious to know what Tatsuki had said to him during school. She saw the two of them talking before class midday but he'd avoided the subject completely. While she normally wasn't one to pry into other people's private matters, she was sure Tatsuki had been talking about her so that made it her business too, right?

"Ichigo-kun?" she began when the curiosity became too much for her.

"Hmmm?"

"Umm...what did Tatsuki-chan talk to you about today?"

"I'm pretty sure you can guess." he answered.

"Oh, I thought so." Her teeth came out to nervously chew on her bottom lip. "Did you...Is everything okay?"

He saw the anxiety in her eyes and knew what she feared. Orihime didn't want to be the cause of trouble for anyone, but especially not to those closest to her.

He slid his hand around her waist, coming to rest on the curve of her hip as they walked. "Everything's fine Orihime."

The tension melted away from her face giving way to the brilliant sparkle to her gray eyes that he loved to see. She leaned her weight slightly against his as they walked, their bodies providing extra warmth against the chill of the air.

Blackness rolled across his vision for a moment and he heard the dark cackle of his hollow resound in his ears. Ichigo grit his teeth and fought against the being as it tried to take dominance of his body. The battle was surprisingly easy; his hollow was almost docile as it receded back into the far corners of his soul. The lack of a fight stumped him so that he stopped walking altogether.

"Ichigo-kun?" Orihime questioned as she turned to face him.

He had barely opened his mouth to speak when a familiar, heavy reiatsu settled around them. Neither teen tensed at the presence but instead searched around for the absent shinigami.

Kuchiki Byakuya appeared before them instantly as he stopped short with his shunpo. Orihime gasped as she immediately noticed the long gash to his arm and the dried blood surrounding the injury. One of the kenseikan holding his hair up was broken and soot marred the normal pristine white coloring of his captain's haori.

Ichigo instinctively pulled his substitute badge from his pocket as he took in the disheveled appearance of the captain. "Byakuya, what the hell's going on?"

He spared only a glance to the vizard before turning his attention back to the young healer. "Inoue Orihime, your presence is needed immediately."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hope you all enjoy the chapter. I love you guys for the amazing reviews you leave! Please do so again!**


	18. Chapter 18: Purpose

**Chapter 18: Purpose**

* * *

Orihime held tightly to Ichigo's shoulders from her perch upon his back as the world around them passed by as nothing more than blurs of color. Had he not been holding onto her thighs as he ran, she was sure she would had fallen off and been left behind long ago. She had traveled at high speeds before – against her will with the Espada, and with Ishida before – but none of those compared to the feeling of traveling with Ichigo as he shunpoed beside Byakuya at unbelievable speeds.

He had yet to explain what she was being summoned for in Soul Society but the situation had to be grave. For Byakuya to be injured, she knew the opponent must have been strong; he was always so well dressed and immaculate in his appearance. Not only that, but he himself had come to fetch her from the living world. If they were having a captain escort her to Soul Society...she shuddered to think what awaited her there. Unfortunately, by his behavior so far, she was desperately praying that her first assumption turned out to be false.

After he'd announced that she needed to come with him, Ichigo refused to allow her to go anywhere without him. Byakuya said he didn't care that he came and turned to open a senkaimon. When the teens tried to stop him – so Ichigo could take his body to his house – the noble turned angry, irritated eyes on them. Words weren't needed to convey his displeasure with them but the short, clipped "no time" he bit out through angry teeth was given anyway.

Ichigo pressed his badge to his chest, throwing his body over his shoulder and demanding the captain to wait a moment before he rushed off. Byakuya had barely finished his irritated sigh before Ichigo was back at their side and telling him to hurry with the senkaimon.

Ichigo had pressed Byakuya for answers as to what was happening as they flew through the darkened dangai, but the captain wouldn't speak again. Orihime took in the rigid set to his shoulders and the tension to his jawline and felt a shiver of dread creep up her spine.

They flew through the opening into Soul Society but didn't stop there. Ichigo had to grip Orihime's thighs tighter as he quickly changed paths to follow Byakuya through the streets of Seireitei. Orihime tried to look around them but the structures flashed by so quickly she could barely focus on anything. At one point, she thought she saw great plumes of smoke rising to the sky but she couldn't be sure with the speeds they traveled.

Byakuya stopped just outside of the fourth squad's barracks and began quickly walking down the frantic corridors. Ichigo allowed Orihime to walk on her own at that point, but ordered her to stay close to his side. Squad members were running room to room, their arms laden with materials as the higher ups called out orders to be carried out. The young healer kept close to Ichigo's side as he strode quickly beside Byakuya to their unknown destination.

In no time, they arrived at a large room to the rear of the compound. There weren't as many people crowding this particular room but the ones there were kneeling beside patients she couldn't yet see – their hands focused forward onto the kido boxes surrounding the wounded.

Orihime saw a muscle twitch in Byakuya's face and felt a ball of lead settle itself in the pit of her stomach. If he'd brought her here himself simply to heal someone...

Her feet moved forward of their own volition. She thought she heard Ichigo call her name but it was muted into the background as tears began coursing down her face before she could even see her friend. The fourth squad's captain looked up to her and smiled as best she could – given the circumstances.

The sight of her two friends lying on the floor hit her with the force of a deadly punch, knocking the breath from her body as a muted cry left her lips.

She didn't even speak the incantation, honestly didn't even think it to herself, but her powers activated on their own - enveloping the two bodies lying near each other within her golden dome. The strength left her body and she hit her knees hard before them. The healing powers of the two shinigami working on her fallen comrades dissipated but she didn't bother to look away from the horrible sight in front of her.

Renji's breathing was shallow and sounded strained. His kosode had been removed and the large gash swiping from hip to shoulder was open for everyone to see. No matter how bad his injuries seemed, he looked better than the woman near him.

Orihime refused to turn her eyes away from the petite woman no matter how much the sight upset her. She bit her lip and poured her reiatsu into the dome – wiling it to work faster.

Rukia lay so very still; her breathing almost to shallow to be seen. Only minor cuts and abrasions littered the visible parts of her body and they soon disappeared under Orihime's powers. What made her stomach turn to see was what remained of her left leg.

Ragged ends of her flesh jutted around the exposed bone of her knee. So much blood covered the end of the cot, spilling onto the once white floors. The metallic smell filled the room making her even more nauseous than before.

She didn't know how long it had been since the injury occurred but some time must have passed before they were able to fetch her. Orihime could see areas where the blood had already dried on her flesh and in the large puddle beneath her.

It hurt her to see her friend like this but she refused to turn away as the flesh slowly began returning. To do so would be an insult to the pain Rukia had suffered and Orihime could never be so callous. All she could do was allow the tears to pour down her face as she pushed her will into repairing their bodies back to their original state. Rukia was already so weak from the large blood loss she'd suffered and it looked as if Renji was in the same state. It would take her much longer for her to reject all that was wrong with them but she would do it.

She couldn't fight as they did, as the rest of her friends did...but what she could do was make sure they were able to return to the fight.

While she couldn't get justice for them, she could allow them the opportunity to get justice for themselves.

This was her role and she would fulfill it. Not for the brother that stood behind them hiding his pain, not for the man she loved with all her soul fighting against his own desires to get justice for them, but for herself. She would make sure they could all be together again once the fighting was done because that was the power she had been gifted with.

The time passed all too slowly as she continued to keep her vigil at their sides. Bit by bit the once ruined flesh was restored without a single remaining evidence of any previous trauma. The room was so quiet now. The only other person with her was Byakuya.

Ichigo's demands to know what happened had gotten so forceful he had been removed from the room by Unohana-taicho and taken to the squad still working on the Kuchiki manor. Orihime understood his frustrations and felt the same; she did want to know what happened but the most important thing for her to do was heal her friends. Ichigo couldn't do anything for them right now besides help to track down the individuals responsible for the tragedy.

She allowed her eyes to quickly roam Byakuya's face before returning to there previous position.

He'd yet to say anything since they'd left the human world. All he did now was watch the progress being made on his adoptive sister.

While he remained silent, there were small things Orihime had noticed about his behavior since first meeting him that told a lot about what he was feeling.

He usually kept such a tight reign on his face – making sure to keep any expression from crossing it; however, she could see the slight narrowing of his eyes. His lips, which were normally relaxed, were drawn tight and a muscle in his jaw would twitch now and again.

He didn't have to say anything at all, Orihime knew how he was feeling and it simply broke her heart to see such a strong man in pain. But it also made her slightly happy; no matter what he sometimes said or did, she could tell he loved his sister – at least in his own way.

A painful groan caught both of their attentions, causing them to whip their heads towards the sound.

"Abarai-kun? Can you hear me?" Orihime pleaded as she pressed herself against the golden glow of her shield.

"Mmm...Ru...Rukia?" his hoarse voice was little more than a whisper.

"She's beside you Abarai-kun. Please don't worry, I'm healing her as well."

"Hmm...a-ri...ga-to."

He lost consciousness once again but Orihime swore a faint smile lingered on his face.

She felt such a weight lift from her shoulders as his breathing eased out into what seemed like a peaceful sleep. Rukia hadn't awoken yet but it was only a matter of time.

Settling herself back down onto the blood soaked floor, she continued her vigil with the stoic captain.

* * *

Ichigo kicked a charred piece of wood out of his way as he searched the Kuchiki manor for any clues to who their attacker was...and, unfortunately, for any other bodies.

The fire that had swept through the home had already been extinguished but smoke still rose from various large piles of debris. The center of the large manor stood untouched while the east and west wings of the noble home lay in ruins.

Ichigo felt, as did nearly everyone else, that this was a deliberate tactic by the perpetrator. Everything of value to the Kuchiki family was kept within the main part of the building; the outside wings were bath houses, laundry rooms, and servants quarters. The attack – which had occurred during a busy time of day – served to catch a number of people off guard while they tried to tend to their work.

Nearly a dozen people had died.

The vizard's hands clenched into tight fists as he recalled seeing the servants corpses lined up in the once beautiful gardens. Whoever this person was, he had deliberately targeted the innocents in the home.

No matter how much he thought about it, there was only a single answer he could come up with for the enemy's actions.

They were toying with the Kuchiki family.

Or perhaps, just Byakuya himself.

Ichigo turned and made his way back out of the manor as he came to the rear part of the main compound. There were several elder members of the family going through a couple of rooms personally and they refused to allow any outsiders to see what lay behind the doors. He understood every family had their secrets but, considering the situation, all the elders were doing was pissing him off even more.

Try as he might, he couldn't get the sight of Rukia and Renji laying on those cots in the fourth squad's building out of his mind. Coupled with the many corpses he'd had to see his anger was almost overwhelming.

Directly outside the compound, the 12th division captain – Kurotsuchi Mayrui – was angrily tapping buttons onto some piece of equipment in his hand.

"Oi, Kurotsuchi! You haven't found anything yet?" Ichigo asked as he came to stand in front of the eccentric captain.

The painted man spared merely a glance for Ichigo before returning to his beeping device. "I don't recall speaking to you _human_." the man sneered.

Ichigo shot the man a disgruntled look but managed to keep a hold of his ever-fraying temper. "Whatever. Just tell me if you found anything about the bastard who did this."

Mayrui cursed under his breath as the contraption he held once again failed to meet his expectations. He turned irritated, golden eyes onto the young man. "No I haven't. I can't even detect a shred of his reiatsu lingering around the area."

Ichigo's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Seriously? With all the fighting that went on here there should at least be a little bit of it lingering around right?"

"That answer should be yes but for some unfathomable reason even my sensors aren't picking up anything." the irritated look soon left his eyes as he became lost in his own thoughts. "Interesting." he muttered to himself. "For a person to completely erase their reiatsu like this...I need to study them."

Mayrui walked off leaving behind a confused, and sickened, Ichigo. Kurotsuchi Mayrui was one shinigami he had never, and would never, be able to like or understand.

Ichigo spotted Toshiro and Rangiku entering the gates of the manor and he rushed over to meet them. At least with them he could finally get some straight answers.

* * *

The door of the shouten opened just as the dark haired man was about to knock. For a moment, he stood there in shock before a wry grin reached his lips.

"Should've expected that I guess."

"Yes, you should."

The shopkeeper moved aside to allow the gentleman in with the burden he carried. He followed him through the halls to a small, empty bedroom where Isshin deposited the soul-less body of his son.

"Where did he leave it at?" Urahara asked from his perch against the door frame.

Isshin arranged his son's limbs in a natural fashion before standing to face his long time friend. "At Orihime-chan's house. The damn window was left open if you can believe that!"

Urahara hid his smile behind his fan as the physician went into a long rant. The ex-captain paced up and down the worn tatami mats as he vented his anger over his irresponsible son.

"Does he not want a body to come back to? Seriously, leaving it at her house with no one there to watch over it. Not that just dumping it at the house would be any better. My girls would have a heart attack when they saw him like that! Thinking he was dead!"

"Well...maybe one of your girls at least." Urahara said quietly.

Isshin gave him a long hard look before blowing out a sigh and running his fingers through his thick, black hair. "Whatever. It's not the time for that discussion. What happened with the Kuchiki's?"

"Are you delving into my network of informants now Isshin?"

"As if I would. I simply felt Byakuya's reiatsu covering the place."

"Aa. It seems the Kuchiki manor was the target of a large attack."

"Casualties?"

"Yes. Servants mostly, however, Kuchiki-san and Abarai-fukutaicho were wounded quite badly."

"Ah, that would explain why he wanted Orihime-chan." Isshin commented.

"Indeed."

"Any ideas whose behind this?"

"None yet and unfortunately there isn't much to go on."

Isshin saw the slight narrowing of his friends eyes and knew what he said to be true. "Seems like the break is over huh?"

"Seems like it." Urahara replied in kind.

Isshin left the room with only a glance towards his son's body before the door shut in place. "I hope this doesn't drag out too long. Though this time, I don't think the girls will be as upset if he isn't around as much."

"Well, they are growing up after all."

Isshin shoulders trembled for a moment before he whipped around, showing the tears gathered in his eyes. "My children are growing up and leaving me!"

"You can be as loud as your son sometimes." Urahara remarked.

The tears suddenly dried up as a deep pout came to Isshin's face. "I'm nothing like him so stop saying that."

"Hai, hai." the shopkeeper said, waving his hand in dismissal of the matter. "Don't worry about his body; I'll keep watch over it while he's gone. By the way, won't he worry when he returns to find it missing?"

"Nah, I left him a few clues where to find it." he said as he left the shop.

Urahara watched him leave with raised eyebrows. Knowing Isshin as long as he had, he felt slightly sorry for the man's son.

* * *

Orihime watched as the water pouring off her body stained the floor beneath her pink with her friend's blood. She'd not even noticed how she had knelt in the drying pool of crimson just beyond their bodies. She scrubbed every inch of her clean before slipping into the onsen and allowing the heated waters to soothe away the aches in her tense muscles.

Abarai-kun was healed of his wound but he would need to sleep the rest of the night to regain his strength and allow his reiatsu to replenish. Kuchiki-san was still under her Soten Kisshun. There was a heavy reiatsu surrounding the wound on her leg and it was taking much longer to restore her body than it did Abarai-kun's. She was in no danger of losing her life, so Orihime allowed a member of the fourth squad to lead her to the onsen she now sat in.

As much as she wanted to take her time in the warm waters, she knew someone was going to show her to a room so she could rest for the night. Drying off as quickly as she could, she donned the spare yukata laid out for her and left the bath house.

The same shinigami greeted her as she left and led her to a bedroom within the fourth squad's headquarters. A folded shihakusho sat near the futon they already prepared for her as well as a plate of onigiri and tea.

Orihime ate slowly as she watched the stars come out in the midnight sky through the small window in the room. The steady hum in the back of her mind let her know Shun-o and Ayame were still working on Kuchiki-san and no problems had arisen. Knowing that her injured friends would be okay allowed other worries to now enter her mind.

Who had done this? What exactly were they after?

Where had Ichigo gone?

After he left the room earlier that day she'd not seen or heard from him again. She tried her best not to worry; she knew he would be busy with the other shinigami trying to find who was responsible for this, but fear still nagged at her gut. There had not been a single time they'd come to Soul Society that ended with him uninjured. Ichigo was fiercely protective over his friends and would go to any lengths to keep them safe, even if that included putting his own life on the line.

Combing through the now dry strands of her auburn hair, Orihime allowed her senses to open as she searched for his reiatsu. It didn't take long for her to find the familiar pulsing and it was surprisingly closer than she expected.

Her head turned towards the door before he could even open it and a soft smile graced her features as his orange hair came into view.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked as he strode into the small bedroom. Laying his Zanpakuto against the wall, he seated himself across from her and drank the tea one of the members of the squad gave him.

"I'm fine Ichigo-kun. Are you okay? Were you able to find out anything?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Unfortunately we didn't find a single clue as to who the bastard was that did this."

"Oh," her smile faded as she felt the anger and disappointment rolling off him. "Well, Kuchiki-san and Abarai-kun are gonna be okay. Abarai-kun just needs to sleep but Kuchiki-san is gonna take the rest of the night to heal. I'm gonna stay here while Shun-o and Ayame continue to work on her."

Ichigo rolled his tired shoulders as he moved to sit beside her on the futon. Kicking off the sandals he wore, he laid back on the comfortable mattress. "I know. I went by looking for you and Unohana-san told me."

Orihime fidgeted with the hem of her yukata as a blush came to her face. "W-what are you doing Ichigo-kun?"

He cracked one eye open to peer at her. "Resting. Don't worry, you can go ahead and sleep; I know it's draining for you to use your powers constantly like this." He closed his eyes as a smirk came to his face. "And if you really thought I wasn't gonna be around when we still have a psycho piece of shit on the loose you're crazy. I may trust the fourth squad but they're the healers around here, not the fighters."

She didn't know what to do. Orihime knew Ichigo was just protecting her but there was only the one futon in the small room they'd brought her too. Yes, they'd slept near each other before while in Soul Society but never on the same futon!

Her mind was thrown into utter chaos as embarrassment took over her body. There were times she tossed and turned so much she woke up with the covers tangled around her feet. Even though they'd mostly disappeared, she still had the occasional nightmare and didn't want to bother him with her night time cries. What if she clung to him and her hands accidentally wandered during the night?

She wasn't allowed to dwell on her fears any longer as a pair of large hands grabbed her around the arms and pulled her down. Orihime found herself pulled flush against Ichigo's chest before he threw the covers around both of them.

"Whatever you're worrying about...don't." his warm breath spoke against her ear. "You're tired and need to sleep and I'm not leaving your side so stop worrying about everything."

She relaxed against him as his words settled in her mind. Her embarrassment had been getting the best of her but the strength in his voice washed her fears away. "Thank you." was all she whispered before her eyes closed and she rested against his warmth.

Ichigo was glad when he heard her breathing even out into a slow, rhythmic pattern. Maybe now with her asleep, the fierce blush that had been covering his cheeks since he pulled her down would fade away. He was simply glad she hadn't turned around to face him once he'd done it.

He wasn't sure where he found the strength to sound so convincing while his heart was beating like crazy and his blood was threatening to turn south with the object of his desires laying withing his arms. The fact that she smelt so wonderful after her bath and the single yukata she wore didn't help calm any of his problems.

His desires wouldn't win out tonight though. He meant every word he'd said; he would stay with her and make sure she was safe. He wouldn't leave her side right now, no matter the chilling glare he'd received from Unohana-taicho when he declined the offer for another room to rest in and headed for Orihime's. There was a danger in Soul Society and he wasn't letting it get anywhere near Orihime.

He tried to focus his mind on the ever present danger but he'd damned himself by keeping his arm around her stomach as she laid against his chest. Her soft, yielding flesh was so easy to feel through the thin yukata she wore. As if they had a mind of their own, his fingers traced invisible patterns over her skin. The floral scent coming from her freshly washed hair invaded his senses as the heat from her body called to his own.

He had no one to blame for the situation he found himself in and he knew the thoughts running through his mind were sending him on a crash course for hell but he couldn't shut them away.

A soft sigh slipped from her pink lips and he found himself smiling at the both alluring and adorable picture she presented. He brushed the silky strands of her hair aside and pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck.

Protecting her out won the rampant desires he felt. There would be a time and place for those as well, but it wasn't now.

Now, he needed to concentrate on the threat to his friends lives. He didn't know what he was going to face soon, but he would face it beside his comrades. They had defeated each threat that dared to rear its head and they would do so again.

With those thoughts in mind, he stopped fighting the sleep that beckoned him.

* * *

**-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-**

**A/N:**

**So, has everyone watched the newest movie?**

**Gotta say, in my opinion, it was the best one yet. Serious props to Kubo-sensei for given us just a teeny taste of fan service for the small IchiHime moment in there. All I know is someone knows how to create atmosphere!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter and...hey! A super huge hug to everyone for reviewing! Hitting 300 was a really rewarding feeling. Much love to you all!**

**With that being said, I really hope you all will drop me a line and let me know what you think. Just press that little button below would ya pretty please! :)**


	19. Chapter 19: Instinct

Though it had been some time since he was here, Ichigo was able to instantly recognize the oddly built, sideways skyscrapers as the inner world Zangetsu and his hollow resided in. Since he had not made the journey here himself, he expected to see one of them around. For some reason he did not.

Ichigo walked slowly along the rooftops, taking his time to survey the terrain. While not much had changed in terms of the layout of the buildings themselves, there were slight nuances he noticed. For one, it was hotter than what he remembered. The large sun resting within his inner world shone brightly and beat down it's harsh rays on everything below. Even after being there only a few minutes Ichigo was feeling the sweat gathering on his neck. Though the buildings were intact, many of them had windows blown out or chunks of concrete missing.

Ichigo was just about to call out when the annoyingly familiar voice came across. " 'Bout damn time you showed up."

Ichigo raised his head slightly to see his white counterpart sitting on the ledge of a higher building not far away. "What d'ya want bastard?"

The grin that split the hollows face held no mirth. "Now, now king. Is that anyway to speak to your faithful steed?"

"Tch...faithful steed my ass. Why have you been messing around again you asshole?"

The hollow jumped from the building and came to land in front of Ichigo. He was out of swords reach but Ichigo made sure to keep his hand resting on Zangetsu's hilt.

"I was trying to get your attention; but like with everything else, your slow as hell."

"What?"

"Since you wouldn't pay attention to me I had to wait until you fell asleep to bring you in here. We got things to talk about."

Ichigo watched the pale creature with mistrusting eyes. "What could we possibly have to talk about?"

Those black and yellow orbs narrowed dangerously. "How about how you're fucking up my world."

"Huh?"

"Take a look around this place Ichigo." the hollow said as he spread his arms wide. "The buildings are crumbling under this damn heat wave you've got going on! The fucking windows have started cracking!"

"I don't understand. What did I do to cause this?" Ichigo thought hard as he surveyed the buildings around him but could think of nothing.

"It's what you ain't doing." his counterpart hissed.

Ichigo began to get frustrated over the obscure words spoken. "What the fuck are you talking about? If you got something to say you bastard then say it!"

"Dumb ass. Why do I have to spell out everything for you?" his hollow grumbled. "This is the cause of this mess you clueless king."

Ichigo's eyes were wide in shock as he watched his counterpart roughly grab his crotch through his white shihakusho. "Wha...What are you talking about?"

The hollow released himself and whipped the sword off his back. Without warning he flew at Ichigo. Their swords clashed fiercely, sparks flying at the contact. "You are so damn stupid."

Ichigo pushed himself forward and forced the hollow back. He fired a getsuga at the white being who avoided the attack. Once again their swords clashed as they ran at each other.

"I learned bankai when you did Ichigo. Do you remember that fact?"

"Yeah, so?" Ichigo asked as he avoided the sword thrown at him. His hollow pulled Zangetsu back by the cloth attached to the hilt and ran at him again.

"I see what you see. You fight, I know it."

"And?" he asked, ducking the slash aimed for his head.

"Did you not think I'd be affected by anything else?"

"Make sense you bastard."

The hollow shunpoed away from the large Getsuga Tensho Ichigo fired at him. "Your desire is making this world unbearable to live in!"

Ichigo paused in his attack on the deranged creature as his words registered with his brain. "What?" he asked incredulously.

"You can't think and now you can't hear?"

"I heard you fine but what the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"That bitch who you keep dreaming about. The one who's around you all the time."

"Don't call her that." Ichigo warned through clenched teeth.

"You keep fighting your instincts and it's caused this mess in here." His hollow's odd voice reverberated off the walls as he slowly walked around Ichigo. "You know what you want to do. It comes to you just as easy as swinging that sword does. Why do you keep fighting your body?"

Ichigo now knew exactly what the hollow was referring to. Rather than being embarrassed about the conversation, he was pissed off at the hollows blatant interference with his relationship. "She has nothing to do with you."

"I feel the sway of your base instincts just like you do _your majesty_. Sleeping, eating, fighting...what else do you think goes on that list?" he asked with a malicious grin.

Ichigo flew at his hollow, locking swords with him. He kicked the white being in the stomach hard, forcing him back before swinging again. He was able to slice into the creatures shoulder before it flipped out of the way. "Do not even think about touching her you prick."

The hollow's humorless laugh echoed off the vacant building's walls. "How can I help but think of fucking her when that's all you think about?"

"Shut up you bastard and just leave her alone!"

"Well then do something about it!"

"Human's don't work that way! Just because I feel desire for her doesn't mean I can act on it whenever I want."

His hollow snorted. "Don't forget, I ain't human Ichigo." With that said, the creature flew at him. Ichigo matched him head on as their power twisted around one another. He felt the raw strength coming from the hollows attacks and rushed to parry every strike he made. "What did I tell you about being weak Ichigo?" his distorted voice cried. "There's very little difference between us keeping you king of this vessel. If you ain't strong enough to hold onto that seat - I'll take it."

The hollow grinned devilishly as he rushed at Ichigo yet again. Over and over again Ichigo matched him strike for strike. The joy showing on the white version of his face was disturbing to see. His hollow was much like Kenpachi; they lived for the battle. The stronger the opponent - the more fun they had during the fight.

Though he was loathe to admit it at times, Ichigo could find himself getting lost within the fight. As he threw himself into the battle, allowing his instincts to take over, he would find himself reluctantly enjoying certain matches.

It scared him.

To know that the heartless creature in front of him was right about him disturbed him in more ways than one. However, when he was fighting opponents such as his counterpart, he had little choice in the matter. His hollow had no distinctive fighting style. Instead, his movements were wild, powerful, and not withholding of anything.

He grimaced as he was unsuccessful in blocking an attack and was thrown into the side of a building. He wasn't allowed a reprieve though. Almost immediately, he pushed off from the crumbling structure to avoid the Getsuga fired at him.

"Weak Ichigo. At this rate I'll take over as king and use your power how I see fit. Don't worry, when I get out the first thing I'll do is get rid of this pent up tension." his hollow cackled.

Ichigo saw red at the threat to Orihime and shunpoed to the laughing bastard. Few blows were exchanged before Ichigo was pinning the hollow to the wall with Zangetsu protruding from his chest.

"Tch. Whatever." The pale being said. The ends of his shihakusho began disappearing and Ichigo knew he'd leave his inner world in a moment. "Stay on your toes king. Don't forget I'm still around."

Ichigo stepped back to watch as his hollow's form broke down. He was surprised when another smirk came to his face. "Do me a favor and deal with this heat?"

Before he could reply he felt himself being pulled into consciousness.

His eyes snapped open as he left his inner world. The pale light of the early morning sun broke through only some of the shadows covering the small room he lay in. Several curses ran through his mind as he tried to calm down. The threats his hollow made in reference to Orihime had his blood boiling. The woman in question was pressed tightly against him – his arm draped over her back as she snuggled closer. Sometime during the night she'd turned to face him and her warm breath blew gentle teases across his chest.

The first signs of desire welled up in him at the feel of her in his arms.

Fighting the urge to curse out loud, he closed his eyes and lowered his head to rest lightly against hers. He couldn't help the urges he felt for her. Dammit all he was still a man! It was only natural that a man would want to hold the woman he cared so deeply for.

Yet, like he told his hollow, he couldn't just act upon his urges. Both he and Orihime were innocent in that aspect. He knew she loved him – just as he did her – but rushing into the physical aspect of their relationship wasn't something he wanted to do. He could never pressure her into something like that, and didn't want to. Things were going well between them right now and the last thing he wanted to do was make such a grave mistake as being to forceful with her.

He'd already caused her so much heartache, he wasn't about to do it again.

A gentle moan came from her as she shifted closer to his form. He heard the change in her breathing and knew she would wake up soon. The vision she presented as he pulled back to watch her made his gut clench. Times like these made it so hard to keep himself in check.

Long eyelashes lay against her alabaster cheeks, her plump pink lips were parted just so. The yukata she wore to bed had loosened during the night, affording him a glimpse of her ample chest.

Innocence and sensuality wrapped into one package.

He was almost tempted to apologize to his hollow for the current condition of his inner world.

"Mmm..." her lashes fluttered as she slowly came awake. "Morning Ichigo-kun." she whispered with a soft smile.

He felt his own lips turn up. Being the first person to be able to see those gray eyes in the morning was a nice feeling.

"Good morning."

"Sorry." Realizing she was using his other arm for a pillow, she began pulling back from him. "I must have rolled over while I was asleep. I do that a lot sometimes."

He tightened his grip on her back, forcing her to stay in her current position. "It's fine. I never even noticed."

"But...aren't I hurting your arm?"

"Nope. Stay there."

A pretty blush colored her cheeks as she complied with his order. His face was so much softer this morning.

Maybe it was like this every morning? No lines creased his forehead, his brows were relaxed, and the barest hint of a smile still lingered around his lips. As handsome as she thought his frown was, the softness in his warm brown eyes was causing butterflies in her stomach.

His hand trailed up her back slowly before brushing away the auburn tresses that lay around her face. The contact heated her flesh but also made goosebumps raise along her skin. For some reason, Ichigo's presence was having even more of an effect on her than usual.

"We...we should probably get up." she managed to finally say around the tightness developing in her throat.

"Yeah, we will." he lazily replied. His eyes roamed her face, pausing on her lips and her heart speed up.

Ichigo meant to only brush his lips across hers; just a light kiss to try and appease the urge welling up within him. She seemed almost hesitant as they made contact, only barely returning the pressure he placed. However, that soon changed.

As he pulled back her head came forward, lips capturing his own - demanding more of the embrace. He happily complied but took his time savoring the sweet taste of her. Slowly, they melted into each other. Her delicate hands sweeping the expanse of his chest before sliding up to encircle his neck. Her body closing the already short distance between them.

The kiss became deeper. Each of them greedy for more of the other. Tongues battling each other for the right to bury themselves within the warmth of the other. Ichigo placed a hand on her waist and urged her to her back; his body lying partially atop hers as he continued his assault.

It was different.

The feelings he had were stronger like this. More...urgent. He needed more of her - wanted to feel more of her.

And she seemed to feel the same.

One of her hands ran through his orange locks while the other held tightly to his strong shoulders. The friction between their bodies as they shifted around one another was near maddening as his weight continued to press into hers.

Abandoning her lips, he peppered kisses along her jaw before sliding her yukata out of the way so the delicate skin of her neck and shoulder were bare to him. Burying his nose into her neck, he took his time enjoying the fragrant scent that clung to her skin before tasting her. He made sure not to miss an inch as his lips danced along the column of her throat.

Orihime couldn't stop her body from twisting beneath Ichigo. Every touch he gave, every kiss, every lick along her skin was winding up some coil in her body that needed to be set free.

Kami, was this what desire truly felt like?

She heard the word before, even read about it briefly before her embarrassment could take no more, but this...this burning sensation rolling through her body was nothing like what she ever expected. Her skin was on fire under the delicious weight of his body. His kisses always made her feel good but this time, in this way, she felt like she couldn't take anymore and yet couldn't get enough of him.

His hand was kneading the flesh of her hip while his mouth continued it's assault on her neck. She could hear her own hitched breathing echoing around the room. A rumble came from his chest and he suckled hard on the juncture of her neck and shoulder. A moan that she'd never heard from her own mouth erupted at the sinful feel.

His lips returned to her own and she hugged him close to her body – her hands clenching in the soft cotton of his shihakusho.

Ichigo pulled away from her and rested his forehead against her own, their harsh breaths mingling together. His face was no longer the soft vision she saw when she woke up. Now, his lips were drawn into a taught line and his eyes were shut tightly. She could feel the tension running through his rigid muscles and began to wonder what she'd done wrong.

A low sound, something she could only call a growl, rumbled in his chest before he finally opened his eyes to meet hers. Heat blazed through his chocolate eyes, stealing the breath from her lungs.

"I think we should go check on Rukia and Renji." His voice seemed strained as he spoke. Ichigo cleared his throat before attempting to talk again. "I'll...uh...leave so you can get dressed."

Orihime still couldn't answer him but managed to nod mutely as an answer. He lifted himself from atop her and quickly left the room.

Confusion clouded her brain as she tried to figure out what was wrong. Had she inadvertently done something to upset him? Maybe she hugged him too hard, or he didn't like his hair to be played with. What if he didn't like the way she kissed? But it wasn't their first time kissing so why hadn't he said something already?

She could feel herself getting more upset as she thought about it. Before tears of shame could cloud her eyes, her mind replayed the short glimpse she'd gotten as Ichigo stood from their futon.

Red soon colored the paleness of her cheeks.

Maybe she didn't do anything wrong after all.

* * *

By the time Ichigo saw Orihime coming into the main hallway of Squad Four's barracks, he had himself back under control. He finished his short conversation with one of the squad members and walked to meet her halfway. He worried his abrupt departure earlier had hurt her in some way but the bright smile she offered him as they neared each other put his mind to rest – thankfully. Perhaps they should talk about it but he was in no state to discuss that yet.

A short trip to the back of the building had them once again in the treatment room that housed Rukia and Renji. Orihime couldn't keep the smile off her face as she saw her two friends awake and talking after the horrible condition they'd been in the day before.

"Inoue!" Rukia called as she spotted the pair. She made to get up from her futon but a swift glance from the stoic captain standing by the window had her blushing and settling back into place. Orihime saw the exchange and her smile grew as she went to her friend's bedside.

"I'm so happy to see you're feeling better this morning Kuchiki-san."

Rukia took the healers hands in her own. "Thank you Inoue. Thank you for coming here on such short notice and helping us."

Orihime shook her head in denial. "Oh no! No, it was no problem Kuchiki-san. I was glad to come help. Please, you don't have to thank me."

"Yes I do Inoue. Without your help I might not have made it. At the very least I'd be missing a limb."

"But Kuchiki-san..."

"This could go on forever." Renji interjected. "Inoue's too polite and Rukia's behaving in front of Taicho. Let's just say we're all glad everyone's better and leave it at that okay?"

With her back currently to her brother, Rukia was free to give Renji a scathing look to which he simply turned away from. She tucked his words away in her memory to deal with later – long after her brother was gone anyway.

"So what happened yesterday?" Ichigo asked after the pointless arguing was over.

Rukia sighed and pulled her kimono tighter around her shoulders. "I'm sure you've already heard about the large number of hollows that attacked."

"Yeah, they filled me in on that." Ichigo said.

"I was fighting a small group of hollows near the storehouses on the west side of the manor. I had just cut through one of their masks when I was attacked. I...I don't remember much about him. I couldn't really get a clear glimpse of his face." Rukia turned to look at Byakuya who continued to stand near the window during the tale. "I'm sorry Nii-sama. I was distracted by the fighting and wasn't able to identify the man behind this."

His dark eyes watched her bowed head and slumped posture briefly before turning away once again. "Do not concern yourself over the matter, it was a large battle."

"Nii-sama." she said in obvious reverence. Orihime patted her hand gently to remind her to continue her story. Rukia cleared her throat quickly and composed herself – although a light flush still stained her cheeks. "Anyway, whoever he was, he is definitely a shinigami. He was wearing a shihakusho."

"But you didn't recognize him?" Ichigo asked.

"No. And I've never seen a Zanpakuto like his either. The blade was long but the edge was jagged all the way to the hilt with large bits of the sword protruding."

"So that's what caused that uneven wound." Orihime said.

Rukia nodded in agreement. "Yes. I couldn't do anything more than scream in pain and collapse when he cut me. I must have lost consciousness at that point because I don't remember anything after that until this morning when I woke up."

"She was out when I got to her and that guy was already gone." Renji said. "I picked her up but before I could leave another explosion went off right next to us. She got buried under the ruble and I got attacked while I was looking for her." he swept his hand down his chest, indicating the wound which he had last night. Thanks to Orihime's' skills, there was no trace of it left on his muscled chest. "After I got rid of that hollow I managed to get her here before I collapsed as well."

"Who the hell was that guy?" Ichigo asked venomously to no one in particular. "It's obvious he was attacking your family personally. You don't have any idea who could be doing this?"

"He was looking for something." Byakuya said.

"For what?"

"That I do not know. I encountered him within the main compound but he escaped me."

"Well ain't that surprising." a voice chuckled from the doorway. To everyone's shock, Kenpachi leaned against the doorway. "Thought you were supposed to be fastest in Seireitei princess."

Byakuya showed no outward reaction and turned calm obsidian eyes onto the 11th squad leader. "When did you evolve so much as to have a thought?"

"When you gonna learn to swing that sword around properly?"

"Zaraki-taicho thank you so much for your visit!" Renji interjected quickly. It was obvious this verbal match between his current and former captain was about to turn physical. If they broke out in a fight in Unohana-taicho's compound he could only imagine the hell they would all receive.

"Heard a fun fight went on yesterday. I just wanted to see if it was true."

"Had you actually been here yesterday you could have seen first hand." Byakuya remarked.

"I had shit to do." Kenpachi threw back at the stoic captain. Before anything else could be said, a blur of pink flew past the group and attached itself to Byakuya's leg.

"Hey Ichi! Hey boobie-chan!" Yachiru said with a bright smile and wave to the couple. "Bya-kun, Ken-chan was just worried 'cause we saw your house was all blown up. Is Bya-kun okay?"

The captain only spared her a glance before looking back to the large man. "Remove your fukutaicho from my person."

"Why? She too much for ya?" he asked with a sarcastic grin.

Everyone in the room tensed up at the slight flaring of reiatsu between the two men but Yachiru simply giggled and jumped back to perch herself on Kenpachi's shoulders. "Bya-kun's okay Ken-chan. I want some candy!"

"Yeah, yeah. Since you didn't get the guy maybe I can have some fun after all when he shows up again." Kenpachi said as he turned to go.

"This is my battle Zaraki."

"Then find him first." the large man said as he disappeared out the room.

The group stood around nervously as they tried to think where to resume the conversation they were having before the 11th squad captain joined them. Each of them was nervous to being speaking as the irritation coming from Byakuya was palpable in the large space. The stoic captain suddenly turned from the wall and began walking towards the door.

"I have much to investigate. Rukia, heed my earlier orders."

When they no longer felt his reiatsu near the entrance way, Orihime turned to her friend. "Umm...what orders was he talking about Kuchiki-san?"

Surprisingly, her cheeks flushed as she ducked her embarrassed head. "Nii-sama said I should rest for the day even though I said I felt fine now."

"He's just worried about you." Orihime responded which only made Rukia blush more.

Ichigo crossed his arms in irritation. "Whatever. We need to figure out who this guy is and what he's after."

"Yamamoto-soutaicho has squads out checking the area and there's already a crew from the research lab going through the rubble. There isn't much we can do right now." Renji said from his futon.

"He's right Ichigo. You should head back home for now. When we find out some new information we'll get in touch with you." Rukia added.

"There's some guy out there aiming for your family and you think I'm just gonna leave?" he asked in disbelief.

"Ichigo, does anyone even know you left?" Rukia asked. "It was an emergency last night so I'm sure you were summoned rather quickly."

"But..."

"Let the investigation squad do their job for now. There doesn't seem to be any imminent threat and besides, we have no idea where to even begin looking. It could take a while before we know anything. Sado and Ishida are probably concerned anyway."

Though Ichigo hated to leave after such an event he knew Rukia was right. They didn't even have any clues as to who or where this mysterious shinigami came from. And they did just run off to Soul Society without informing anyone.

Ichigo sighed heavily as he had no choice but to concede to their wishes. "Fine we'll go home. But the very second you find out something you better let me know."

"We will." Rukia said with a smile.

After reluctant farewells, on the human couples part in particular, Ichigo and Orihime made their way to the senkaimon to head home. The couple talked about the situation at length, sharing ideas on the information they'd heard and what Ichigo had seen first hand at the Kuchiki manor the day before. Unfortunately the only thing they could agree on for certain is that someone was after the Kuchiki family or something they had.

Ichigo really didn't care either way. If he knew for certain, it would help him be able to protect his friends better but he had no intention of sitting by while people got hurt by some coward afraid to show his face. He didn't care what this person's reasons were either; to plant explosives in areas simply to hurt people not able to defend themselves – like the pitiful servants who'd perished in the fires – was the lowest form of attack their was. Whoever this nameless attacker was, they had most definitely made an enemy out of him.

By the time they made it to Orihime's apartment, it was mid-afternoon. "Ichigo-kun," she began as she unlocked her apartment door. "school's already out so why don't we call Ishida-kun and Sado-kun over and let them know what's going on."

"Yeah, that sounds good." he replied as he followed her in the house. As she called their friends he began looking for his body which he'd left in the apartment. It wasn't lying on the floor of her living room, which is where he remembered tossing it in haste as he hurried to return to Byakuya that night. He could see the odd looks Orihime was giving him as he dashed around her apartment searching for his corporeal form, but he didn't stop to explain himself as she spoke to their friends.

He began to worry as he couldn't find any trace of his body anywhere. On a passing whim, he opened the small closet in her hallway to check there. The object lying within the cramped room immediately sent his blood to boiling and a few murderous thought to cross his mind.

"Ichigo-kun, is everything okay?" Orihime asked as she came up behind him.

His fists clenched tightly by his side. "That dirty old perverted bastard. I swear I'm gonna hit him until he can't get back up." Ichigo hissed through his teeth. "Are the guys coming over?" he asked her as he gathered something in his hands and shoved it into his kosode.

"Yeah, they said they'd be over in just a minute."

"Good. I'll be right back." he rushed out the door and began to shunpo his way across the rooftops.

He'd have to wait to get his father until after he met with his friends.

As the air rushed past him while he traveled so quickly, he gripped the bundle in his top tightly. There was no way he was letting the note his father left, or his boxers, land anywhere in Karakura.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Can I just give each one of you another huge thank you for the amazing reviews you leave? Every time I feel stuck on a part or just a little un-motivated to write, I just go back and read the little jewels y'all are so kind to leave me. **

**Big hugs and smooches to you all!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter! And remember...this is rated M like all my stories are. That was just a little teaser earlier. Just a fair warning for when the material shall strike...whenever that shall be. ;)**


	20. Chapter 20: Festival

Ichigo strapped Zangetsu to his back as the hollow he'd been battling dissolved into reishi in the night sky. A yawn escaped him, alerting him once again to the fact that he should have been in his comfortable bed hours ago. Well, at least he should have been able to ''stay'' in his bed.

The small reprieve Karakura town received had been retracted. After the attack on Soul Society, the hollows were once again attacking the pluses of the town; this only added to the mystery surrounding the entire event. While everyone had been suspicious as to the lack of attacks occurring for months earlier, the knowledge that they had somehow been held back was mind boggling to even the captains of Seireitei. To make matters worse, it was almost certain that the unknown shinigami who attacked Kuchiki manor was the one responsible for stopping the attacks on the town for so long. The best their group could figure, he must have wanted to gather a vast number of hollows to ambush Soul Society.

Almost two full weeks had already passed since the attack and no new information was available. The 12th squad captain had never been able to pick up any traces of the mystery man's reiatsu, he left no clues to follow when he left, and there had been no new attacks on anyone in the Kuchiki family since that night. True, the time had allowed Byakuya to have the manor rebuilt and security tightened but the lack of a follow up by this man who killed so many that day was disconcerting.

A familiar presence pulled at Ichigo's senses and he descended to the road to meet him. "What're you doing here? You're already too late to be of any use."

"Perhaps to you, but I was taking care of another hollow across town." Ishida said as he strode into view under the soft glow of the street lamp. "I finished him long ago. I was just coming to make sure you didn't need help with yours since it was taking so long."

Ichigo sneered at the smug look that settled onto the Quincy's face. "Whatever."

"It seems we are back to keeping late hours once again." Ishida said, easily changing the subject from their bantering.

"Yeah, I definitely didn't miss this part of it. We should figure out how that shinigami kept the hollows from attacking and use that. Maybe then I'd get to sleep a whole night through every night."

"Indeed." He pushed his glasses up his nose once again and joined the shinigami as they made their way back towards their homes. "It's still very odd that nothing has happened since his initial attack. Considering the state everything was left in, from what you and Inoue-san described to us, it doesn't make sense that he wouldn't attack again. He would have the advantage since Soul Society's defenses would be less than optimal."

"And it doesn't seem like he took a single hit during the first attack." Ichigo added. "Why would he back off now?"

The pair fell in silence once again; each man lost in his thoughts as they followed the familiar streets. Not too long thereafter, an irritated sigh escaped Ichigo's lips.

"Whatever, I don't get it and I'm tired of thinking about it. I've been racking my brain over this for the past couple of weeks."

"Don't injure yourself."

"Can it Ishida."

"Well to change the subject and give your poor overworked brain a rest," Ishida began, ignoring the glare Ichigo threw his way. "Has the class made a decision on what they want to do for the Cultural Festival?"

"Tch, yeah...some stupid play."

"What play?"

"Don't know, don't care."

Ishida's wide eyes turned to his friend. "What do you mean you don't care? You realize this is mandatory for all students right? Even with your passing grades if you don't participate in the festival you would probably fail."

Ichigo ran a frustrated hand through his orange locks. "I never said I wasn't participating. I'm just gonna hand out fliers at the door and Chado is helping with the props. Seriously Ishida, did you think I was gonna get on that stupid stage in front of everyone?"

"You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." the Quincy deadpanned.

"And why do you get to get out of it? How's that fair?"

"Surely Inoue-san told you the handicrafts club has it's own project to do?"

Ichigo's brow furrowed as he tried to think of such a conversation with his girlfriend. "Well, yeah I think she might have, but we really haven't had a lot of time to talk lately. Studying, her job, and the hollows have kinda kept us busy."

A teasing grin came to Ishida's face. "Oh, so soon and already the relationship's on rocky ground? Guess I should've expected that from you."

"Our relationship is just fine you bastard." the vizard spat at his raven haired friend. "And it's also none of your business."

"On that, you are absolutely correct."

"Tch, cocky bastard." Ichigo muttered as they reached a crossroads. He turned his head slightly to glance at Ishida before leaping in the air. "See ya in school."

Ishida simply shook his head as he watched Ichigo disappear towards his home.

* * *

She felt the familiar reiatsu approaching the door and hurried to hide the project she was working on under some nearby bags before it slid open.

"Oi, Orihime." Ichigo said as he poked his head into the classroom.

The busty redhead jumped to her feet and quickly pushed him out the door before her fellow club members could get upset over his presence. "Hey Ichigo-kun. What are you doing here?"

He raised one eyebrow at her curious actions. As soon as the door slid closed behind them, she grabbed his arm and began gently, but firmly, pulling him away from the classroom. "Umm...any reason in particular I can't see in your classroom."

She laughed as she turned her bright smile on him. "Ichigo-kun, remember? I told you we wanted to keep what we're doing for the Cultural Festival a secret."

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that." he mumbled as he allowed her to steer him away.

"So," she began. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted to come see ya since we haven't really seen each other a lot this week." After he'd gotten home the previous night, his conversation with Ishida ran through his tired mind. Unfortunately, he realized he really ''hadn't'' seen a lot of Orihime that week. Perhaps that's why he'd been more irritable than usual.

"Oh I'm so sorry Ichigo-kun! It's just that I've either had my part-time job to go to or I've been working on the stuff for our project in the festival or..."

Ichigo held up a hand to silence her. "It's okay. I know we've both been busy but that's why I wanted to come see ya." A small smile uplifted his lips. "Maybe I can at least walk you home?"

A soft blush lit her cheeks. "Well, I still have some more work do to on my dr... my...outfit for the festival but, if you think you'll be around til then?" she added with a hopeful glance in his direction.

"Yeah. I got some stuff to do with that stupid play anyway so I'll be ready whenever you are."

"Ichigo-kun, it's not a stupid play." she laughingly reprimanded. "Everyone's working hard on it."

"And it's still a stupid play." he smiled at the lyrical tones of her laughter. "I still wish you'd let me know what your club is doing."

"Sorry, we all want to keep it a secret. Though, it wasn't my first choice. For some reason no one really liked my idea of a mecca robot cafe." she said with a pout.

Ichigo mentally shook his head at the crazy ideas floating around his beautiful partner's mind.

"It doesn't matter though." she continued. "I do like this idea and everyone is really getting into it. But I still think robots would've been cool."

A chuckle escaped his lips at the cute pout on her face and he slid his hand around her back to rest on her hip. School was out so the majority of students had already left for the day. Those who remained behind were either at their club activities or working on the various projects for the school festival, leaving the hallways vacant and affording Ichigo the opportunity to be close to Orihime. Though a telling tinge of red adorned her cheeks, she matched her pace with his and leaned into his warm body as they walked. Neither said anything, but shared glances spoke volumes of how they'd missed each others presence.

They turned the corner, making their way towards the gym where the stage was being set up for the play, but a lone figure leaning in one of the doorways caused Ichigo to stop dead in his tracks. Fleeting thoughts of running back the way they'd came left before they could even form properly as the person in question spotted the couple immediately. No words were spoken and the only outward sign they gave indicating they'd seen the rather intimate way the bright haired teens were walking was a single raised eyebrow.

That was all that was needed for a torrent of foul words to tumble through his mind.

"Kuchiki-san! What are you doing here?" Orihime left her boyfriend's side to run and embrace her shinigami friend.

Ichigo held his breath in anticipation for the embarrassing and probing questions to begin. Surprisingly, they never came.

"Checking in with you guys." Rukia asked as she awkwardly returned the embrace from the busty teen. Her dark, laughing eyes slid over Ichigo briefly, causing the teen to narrow his eyes at her in warning, before returning to her friend. "Come inside the classroom so we can talk."

Orihime's face was split with a wide smile as she followed the petite shinigami into the room. Ichigo, however, had to force himself to trudge the few feet into the room. There would be repercussions to her new discovery; of this he was certain.

"Oi, what took ya so long?"

"What? You came too?" Ichigo asked to his tattooed friend who waited for them on the empty teachers desk.

"Tch, like I had a choice." Renji grumbled. "You didn't have to take forever though."

"How was I supposed to know you'd be here?" the vizard spat back to him.

Rukia came to a stop near Renji, her dark eyes crinkling in amusement. "Oh leave Ichigo alone Renji; apparently he was busy before we got here."

The teen in question shot his friend a dark look to which she paid no attention.

"Busy doing what?"

"I promise, it's the very last thing you'd ever think of him doing." she couldn't resist laughing at her own joke that time.

Ichigo nearly bit his tongue in half trying to keep from lashing out at the petite woman. Renji still looked mildly confused but it was obvious Orihime had absolutely no idea to the meaning of the innuendos coming from Rukia. If he said anything to her now, he would only be exposing himself to Renji and embarrassing Orihime and himself further. Against his desires, he managed to calm down and attempt to distract the Kuchiki from her snickering.

"Why don't you just tell us why your here? Wait, has that guy attacked again?"

"No, he hasn't. I really was coming to check up on you. We haven't received any reports of attacks lately but we wanted to make sure the information was correct." Rukia said.

"Nah, besides the usual hollow attacks nothing much has been going on."

"Oh." she mumbled in obvious disappointment to the vizard's answer. Ichigo studied her closely before continuing.

"So you don't like it either huh?"

"Of course not." Rukia huffed. "Why would this person go through so much trouble to stage an attack on Soul Society just to disappear once again? He had the upper hand the last time but just took off...it doesn't make any sense to me."

"I haven't seen Taicho this pissed off in a long time." Renji added. "Even Zaraki-taicho hasn't been pushing his buttons lately. Probably a good thing too." he mumbled the last part.

"Me and Ishida were talking about it last night and we feel the same way."

"At least invite a person to the meeting if you plan on talking about them." the smooth reply caused all heads to turn to the doorway where Ishida was quietly entering. "Kuchiki-san, Abarai-san." he nodded in greeting.

"It ain't like I was talking bad about ya bastard. And this ain't no meeting!" Ichigo spat.

One delicate eyebrow raised. "Really? It doesn't appear that way to me."

"We were just checking in with you all." Rukia said quickly. "I don't suppose you have any other information to add?"

"Unfortunately, no. I've not sensed any strange reiatsu in the area lately nor have there been any unexplained attacks."

The petite shinigami sighed in despair once more. "Figured as much. This just doesn't make any sense."

"Indeed. I have already given what information we have to Urahara-san and asked him to keep an ear out for anything that could be of help to us."

"Thank you." Rukia said. "Well, I suppose we'll head back to Soul Society. If anything happens inform us right away."

"Wait a minute!" Orihime called as she rushed to her friends side. "Since you're already here can't you stay around for a few days? At least until the cultural festival is over."

"What's a cool-tur-el festival?" Renji asked in confusion.

"Oh it's a fun day where the school puts up various booths with food and games to play. It's really fun!" Her gray eyes danced in amusement at the thought of the many foods she would try.

"I don't know Inoue," Rukia began. "I don't think this is the time for us to be taking a break and having fun while our unknown attacker is on the loose."

The healer's bright smile faded greatly. "Oh, you're right. I'm sorry for suggesting it. I just wanted to spend more time with you."

Rukia cringed internally at the sorrowful look on her friend's face. "Well, when is this festival?" she asked almost begrudgingly.

"It's on Saturday. That's only 4 days away." Orihime said, a hopeful expression filling her eyes.

Rukia began mentally going over the tasks she still had to deal with in Seireitei. With Renji's duties as a lieutenant figured in, it would be a tight schedule but not impossible to do. "We can't stay until then but would it be okay if we came back on Saturday?"

Orihime squealed in delight and promptly hugged her friend once again. "Thank you, thank you Kuchiki-san!"

"Oi, wait a sec." Renji interjected. "Is this something we can even come to? Isn't this one of your school activities?"

"The cultural festival is open to the public." Ishida informed him. "Students hoping to enter the school next year come, as well as some of the current student's parents. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about Ryuken coming that day."

"Speak for yourself." Ichigo muttered. "I doubt I can keep my insane old man away from this place this weekend."

"Okay then, we'll see you on Saturday." Orihime said, her usual bright smile once again adorning her face. "I need to get back and finish my costume for then."

"I'll walk you back Inoue-san; there's still a lot for me to work on as well." Ishida added.

"Okay, thank you Ishida-kun."she turned her storm gray eyes onto Ichigo and the soft smile she gave just for him made his heart race. "I'll see you later Ichigo-kun."

"Yeah," he replied, his own facial features softening under her gaze. "Just wait for me so I can walk you home."

With an excited nod she turned and left the room with Ishida. Ichigo didn't realize he was watching her walk away until the loud cough behind him caught his attention. He turned his irritated gaze back onto his two friends, who sat watching him with large grins on their faces.

"What?" he spat.

"Oh, nothing." Renji said with barely contained mirth. "I see what you were talking about Rukia."

"I never would've believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

Despite the heat creeping up his neck, Ichigo squared his shoulders as he faced his teasing friends. "You didn't see anything midget so drop it."

If it was possible, her grin grew even wider. "You really are still a kid aren't ya Ichigo? What are you getting so embarrassed for, hmm?"

Renji's loud laugh accompanied her teasing remark and Ichigo could only look away as the redness spread across his cheeks. This was what he had been dreading all along; the teasing from his friends, the embarrassing remarks he knew they would make...Kami-sama why couldn't everyone just stay out of his business?

Ichigo strode towards the door without looking back to his friends. "Why don't you two worry about your own lives and leave mine alone?"

Rukia and Renji continued to laugh even as they made their way back to Soul Society. Ichigo was trying so hard to come off harsh towards them but they just couldn't take him seriously at the moment...

Not with his ears burning red like they'd been.

* * *

"I can't wait to see your play onii-chan!"

"Tch, I'm just handing out fliers. I'm not getting on that stupid stage."

"But onii-chan!" Yuzu whined as they walked towards the building, "I wanted to see you acting!"

"Forget it."

"Just ignore Ichi-nii, Yuzu." Karin's level voice replied from behind the two. "You know how easily he gets embarrassed. There's no way he'd do something like that."

"That's right my darling daughter, your brother is no fun at all! He's nothing like your awesome father!" Ichigo rolled his eyes in an effort to keep from hitting his enthusiastic father as he danced along in front of their family.

He'd tried, the gods knew he had tried to keep his father from attending the festival today but it seemed nothing in heaven or hell would keep the old man from embarrassing him in front of everyone he knew today. His shoulders fell even further as his school building came into view; balloons of every color flying high above the building while streamers blew in the light winds coming from the east. Yuzu and Karin ran ahead, eager to check out the school where they planned to attend the next year. Unfortunately, to Ichigo at least, his father stayed in step beside him, though the goofy expression was off his face for the moment.

"What time is your play?"

"It's supposed to start at one, and for the hundredth time it isn't ''my'' play. I'm not in the damn thing."

"So, I gotta at least get a flier from my precious boy don't I?"

Ichigo answered the question with a hard hit to his father's left cheek. As usual, it wasn't enough to put the old man down but did make him whine loudly behind his son as they entered the school.

The young vizard sighed heavily as he walked the familiar pathway that was now cramped with food vendors and game booths on both sides of the concrete. Familiar faces stood behind the stalls, laughing - or flirting as a great many of them seemed to be doing - with students he'd never seen before. School uniforms from various middle schools around the area adorned the bodies of a great many of the visitors that day. Fewer in number were the obvious parents that choose to see the projects their children were working on.

It wasn't 15 minutes into the day and Ichigo could already feel a headache forming. There was simply too much going on. While individually, the smells of the food were nice, clumped together as they were it was slightly nauseating. The courtyard, which was normally very spacious, appeared so small with the large amount of people and displays packed into it. His ears were already ringing from the noise.

Ichigo's head arched backwards instinctively as a stick of dango was thrust in his face. His father stood before him, once again grinning like an idiot, eating his own sweet dango. Ichigo sighed and took the stick from him. There was no getting out of it, time wasn't going to pass any faster, so he had no other choice but to deal with the noise, people, and worst of all, his father.

The next hour went by fairly quickly. Ichigo and Isshin found the twins in the art club's classroom. The club members were doing quick caricature sketches of their patrons or more elaborate face paintings. Karin picked the first while, no surprise to Ichigo, Yuzu chose the second.

The haunted house put on by the third years was really well done.

In fact, it was a little too well done.

Many students ran from the room clinging to one another; some of them sobbing. Ichigo couldn't deny that the hand that fell to his shoulder as they waited inside the pitch black entrance had him startled. Eerie sounds filled the darkened room. Light brushes of something furry would run across his legs and flashes of bright red glowing eyes had the entire experience ranking high on his list of favorites for the day.

A group of red faced, giggling girls emerged from one of the classrooms. Their similar statements about the "hotness" of some guy was effective in keeping him away from that particular room.

He spotted Chado crouched down beside some display just outside the astronomy club's room but no matter how much he called him, he was ignored. Stalking over to his friend, with the intention of demanding his attention, he came to an abrupt stop when he saw the particular exhibit. His large friend sat with his hands dangling into a box filled with kittens. Apparently the less than popular chess club was trying a new tactic to attract people. Ichigo seriously doubted it would have anyone wanting to join the club but it was definitely keeping his friends attention. As well as about a dozen cooing middle school girls.

The frowning young man rolled his eyes and set out once again in hopes of finding his girlfriend. They'd already been to the handicrafts club room but the room was vacant. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember if she'd told him where they were hosting their project. There was no other recourse for him except to ask some of his fellow classmates if they knew.

Wading through the mass of people in the school, he searched until he found a group of girls he vaguely recognized. Their names escaped him, but their faces were familiar.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" he asked when finally made his way to them.

The group exchanged hesitant glances. "O-Of course Kurosaki-senpai." one of them answered after a while.

''Great so they aren't in my class, ''he admonished himself. ''On top of that, looks like I'm making them nervous. ''"Umm, I was just wondering if you knew where the handicraft club's display is." he was readying himself for a 'no' from the group but, to his surprise, they all began smiling and even blushing at the question.

"Of course we do! How could we not remember where he was!"

"I wanna go back again. I just have to see him again."

"Oh we will. They'll be there all day right? We don't want to make a nuisance of ourselves to senpai though."

"You're right Koaru-chan. We'll go back later."

"Hey!" they all turned to him in surprise, as if they forgot he was even their in the first place. He felt his eyebrow begin to twitch. "Where are they at?"

"Oh sorry. It's in the photography club room."

He was confused by their answer but headed back towards the room. The photography room was where he saw those other girls talking about some good looking guy. Now Ichigo was just confused.

"So who's this popular guy they're talking about?" his father asked from beside him. "Obviously it's not you." he added with a snicker.

"Thank Kami for that." Ichigo muttered. "I have no idea who their talking about."

"Really?" his father asked, a devilish grin appearing on his face. "So you have no idea who this great looking guy is who's spending a lot of time with your ''girlfriend''?"

The twitch moved to his entire eye. "No I don't, but I don't care about that...and neither does Orihime."

"Uh huh." His father laughed and Ichigo felt his fingers itch with the need to wipe the grin from his face.

The line outside the photography room was rather long and the Kurosaki's had no choice but to wait their turn to enter. Ichigo could feel himself getting pissed off. What kind of project was Orihime's club doing that would have this many people lined up for it? And who exactly was this guy he kept hearing the girls mumbling about? He crossed his arms as he felt his teeth grind in irritation.

"Ow." a sharp kick to the back of his leg broke his attention on the door they'd yet to reach.

Karin stood behind him, arms crossed and a familiar look of irritation on her face. Yuzu stood beside her, lip trembling and doing her best not to cry.

"What did ya do that for Karin?" he demanded.

"Really? You have to ask?"

"If I knew then I wouldn't have asked would I?" he felt his father tug his shirt and he moved ahead as the line shortened.

"Onii-chan's so mean." Yuzu muttered softly.

"Huh?" he asked again in confusion.

"I heard the old goat. Are you seriously dating Orihime-san?"

Ichigo shot a glare to his father filled with promises of pain later. Isshin looked straight ahead but grinned; they couldn't engage in their normal skin-ship in the middle of the crowded school but he could get a great deal of enjoyment out of watching his oldest fight his embarrassment.

"Yeah, so." Ichigo replied with false bravado.

Karin replied with another sharp kick to his shins. She ignored the harsh look he gave her. "And you didn't think to tell us?"

"Why would he?" Yuzu said, wiping the few tears that had escaped her. "Onii-chan doesn't pay attention to us anyway."

Ichigo felt the first signs of guilt at his sister's tears. "Yuzu you know that isn't true. And it's not like I was hiding from you Karin!"

"Really?" the dark haired twin replied. "How long have you two been going out?"

Ichigo's mouth opened but he had no ready reply. The truth was he ''had'' been dating Orihime for a while now, long enough that he probably should have said something to his family. He knew his father was aware, seeing as how he had to tell him he was going out to see her on their date, but he'd never given a thought to telling his sisters. That was obviously not the right choice as they both stood in front of him, upset in different ways, for his lack of information on the subject.

He blew out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry you two. You're right, I should've told you."

"Yes you should have Ichi-nii."

"We would have..."

"Ahh, it's Kurosaki Ichigo and what appears to be his family!" an unfamiliar voice called behind him. His father was pulling him into the room and they were immediately surrounded by four members of the photography club brandishing cameras and bright smiles.

"Kurosaki-sama, are these your sisters?" One of the members asked him. "They are so adorable!"

"Huh?"

"Oh my, what a good looking family you all make." another said.

"Of course we do!" Isshin added loudly, throwing his arm around his son's shoulders and bringing his girls in front of him. "Masaki and I make beautiful babies!"

Ichigo was too stunned to shrug his father's arm off him.

"Smile for us!"

Each member of the family, except a shocked Ichigo, smiled and posed for the various pictures taken. When they were allowed to go further in the room, Ichigo blinked the lights from his eyes and surveyed the room.

They walked into the classroom down a stretch of red carpet flanked by golden ropes. Tables were set up on the left side of the classroom with other students and parents enjoying the light hors d'oeuvres being served. A large banner was poised over the entrance reading 'Red Carpet Glam'.

"Wow, this is so cool." he heard Karin say.

"May I show you to your table?"

Ichigo turned at the familiar voice and couldn't stop the bark of a laugh that left his throat. Ishida stood at the end of the carpet in a full western style tuxedo, his black hair combed back from his face. Not a single thing was out of place on his body from his shiny black shoes to the bright polish on his glasses.

"What are you supposed to be? A butler?" Ichigo asked with a laugh.

Ishida frowned momentarily but quickly regained his composure. He stepped closer to the vizard so as to not be overheard. "Does this look like a butler's uniform to you Kurosaki? Wait, never mind. Someone as uncultured as you would have no idea what a proper butler would wear. Perhaps you should take another look at the layout of the room and see if you can discern what kind of cafe we are running here."

Ichigo shot the Quincy a harsh look but he'd already moved towards his sisters.

"May I show you to your table ladies?" his smooth voice asked.

Ichigo swore a blush rose to Yuzu's cheeks and he clenched his fist as she happily followed him. Heads turned from the various tables around them and it took Ichigo's poor brain a few minutes to work out the looks the women wore. As he sat at the table, the pieces fell into place.

"Wait a minute!" he declared loudly. "Are '''you''' the guy all the women are talking about?" When the tale tale blush lit Ishida's face Ichigo roared with laughter. He felt Yuzu smacking his arm but the laughter wouldn't die down until tears filled his eyes.

"For the love of...Onii-chan you're embarrassing me more than oto-san does!" she hissed.

"I embarrass you as a father?" Isshin asked with tears gathering in his eyes. Karin simply looked away from her family.

"Good afternoon and welcome to our cafe." The melodic voice was one Ichigo would recognize anywhere. "Can I get you all something to drink?"

Ichigo's mouth fell as he turned and caught the first glimpse of his girlfriend's outfit. Sleek, shiny silver covered her voluptuous body. The dress was contoured to fit her curvy figure and his eyes raked down every inch of her. Her chest was fully covered and the dress closed like a collar around her neck, but her shoulders were left naked for his roaming eyes. The floor length gown held a split down her left leg that was simply beautiful on her body.

"Well hot damn Ichigo." he heard his father whisper heatedly. Without turning around, he kicked his father's knee hard under the table. The groan of pain was satisfying to his ears but couldn't make him turn away from Orihime.

"You look so beautiful Orihime-san." Yuzu said in wonder.

The healer blushed prettily. "Thank you Yuzu-chan. I can't claim all the credit for this dress though. Ishida-kun helped me a lot."

"Ishida-san is in the handicrafts club too?"

"Oh yes, he's the most talented member." Orihime replied. Ichigo knew there was a good joke he could throw out to the Quincy at that remark but his brain was still trying to reboot.

"I like the cafe." Karin added. "It was cool how we got our pictures taken when we came in."

"Isn't it?" Orihime said with a large smile. "We decided to get together with the photography club and put on a larger cafe than we could have alone. When Yamada-san, he's in the photography club, suggested we do a Hollywood theme everything sort of fell into place. It's fun to dress up in these fancy clothes too. I think it turned out great!" She turned her shining eyes onto her boyfriend and he pinked in reaction. "Are you okay Ichigo-kun?"

"Uh...yeah." he stammered.

"Don't mind Ichi-nii." Karin added with a grin much like her father's at times. "We crawled him cause he didn't tell us the two of you were going out. Then to see you like this probably fried his poor little brain."

"Karin." Ichigo growled.

Orihime blushed all the way down her neck as she stood in front of his families smiling faces. She fidgeted with the order book in her hand as she tried to calm herself.

"My, you're even cuter when you blush like that Orihime-chan." Isshin remarked with a light chuckle to his voice.

"Shut it old man." Ichigo spat to his father. Willing the redness in his cheeks away, he turned once again to Orihime. "Are you stuck in here all day?"

"Oh no. We're gonna change out people in a couple of hours so everyone will get a chance to walk around the festival."

"Okay. I'll wait for you outside after we get through in here."

"Oh no Ichigo-kun." she said as she waved her hands in front of her. "You don't have to do that. I can just meet up with you when I get done. I don't want you to miss any of the festival."

"They can go on without me. I'll be waiting outside."

"But Ichigo-kun..."

"I'm not changing my mind so you might as well give up now."

He grinned at the pout that formed on her beautiful face. "Okay. If you want to."

"Yes, I want to." his low voice replied.

"So you learned something from daddy after all."

Ichigo stood from the table and grabbed the back of his father's coat, roughly pulling him from the table. "Yuzu, Karin, you two can stay and order something. The old man will be waiting for you outside."

Yuzu looked mildly distressed but Karin simply picked up the menu without a change in expression. "Don't hurt him too bad Ichi-nii."

The other guests watched the orange haired punk of Karakura drag his father out the door.

"But daddy was just complimenting you Ichigo!"

"Shut up!"

"I didn't look at her that long I prom...owww!"

* * *

The hallways were much less crowded when Orihime emerged from the cafe at the end of her shift. The music club was getting ready to put on their short concert so most of the students were making their way to the gym. It was easy to spot Ichigo as he lounged against the wall not far from her doorway.

"Hey, you ready?" he asked.

"Uh huh. Sorry it took me so long. It's hard to get in and out of that dress."

He almost opened his mouth to tell her he would have helped and had to mentally groan at the torrent of thoughts that came with it. "It's okay. Let's go; Rukia and Renji are waiting for us by the okonomiyaki booth."

"Oh, I didn't know they were already here."

Ichigo steered her around a group of students. "Yeah, though I haven't seen Renji yet. Rukia found me but said that Renji wouldn't come away from the booths outside. Something about him training for the past two days and being hungry. Not that it's anything new."

She giggled at his explanation. "I can't wait to try it myself. I wonder if they have any leeks and peanut butter."

Ichigo recoiled at her choice in food but didn't remark on it as they made their way outside. The area around the booths was packed and they became separated by the mass of people. Orihime stood on her toes, trying to catch a glimpse of Ichigo's bright hair when a strange sensation hit her.

She turned her head slowly, checking all directions for the source of the odd feeling. It wasn't that she was sensing anyone's reiatsu; it was almost as if there was a …...nothingness near her. That was the only way she knew to describe it. She opened her senses and tried to feel for anyone around them. Ichigo, Abari-kun, and Kuchiki-san's reiatsu were just in front of her but she couldn't feel anyone else. Everything behind her seemed dimmed, like something was laying over the area blocking everything out.

"Inoue-san?"

She flinched slightly as Ishida placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." he said gently.

"No, no it's okay Ishida-kun."

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

She searched the area once again and found the odd blank space gone. "Did...did you feel anything weird Ishida-kun?"

The Quincy searched the area for a moment. "No, and I don't sense anything around us now. Did you feel someone?"

She smiled and scratched her head in embarrassment. "I guess not. Sorry Ishida-kun, you know how the little green men like to play with my brain sometimes. Especially when I'm hungry, and I haven't eaten anything since breakfast this morning."

He smiled politely at her explanation and led her to an open area, catching Ichigo's attention on the way over. He kept watch for a while, keeping his senses open for anyone around them but never found anything. Perhaps this time she was simply mistaken.

* * *

He crept silently, making sure not to alert anyone to his presence. Not that they would be able to thanks to his Zanpakuto's abilities, but he was taking no chances. The night air was still, no creatures making their nocturnal calls and none of the pitiful living beings were moving around during the midnight hour.

Her reiatsu was easy to follow. After seeing her with the Kuchiki earlier he was sure to memorize the feel of her warm aura.

The detestable bitch.

He'd made a short appearance in Seireitei, meaning only to see the distraught faces of the Kuchiki clan – and most importantly it's current head – yet, there were no sounds of mourning. No incense burned at the manor's gates, no tearful shinigami wandered about the town...he was immensely confused. It took no time to find the parties he was looking for that day. Barely two streets over he found the dreaded female still alive, laughing and talking with some tattooed barbarian while her oh-so-righteous brother walked ahead of them.

Fury burned within his veins.

How could this be possible? He was sure of her demise the moment he severed her limb from her body. At the very least, should the healers have gotten to her soon enough she should have been missing that leg even if her life was spared. How then, after all he'd done, could she be walking around looking as if she'd never been attacked in the first place.

He had to leave Seireitei quickly then, lest his anger push his reiatsu past the confining borders surrounding it. After venting his fury in the wastelands of Hueco Mundo, he settled back into a plan. He could wait a little longer; after all, he was a patient man. The past few decades had taught him that.

The opportunity presented itself when he felt her reiatsu enter a senkaimon. It was no trouble for him to follow along without her or her companion being aware.

The shinigami interacting with the humans was not a sight he had expected; he was surprised they could even see the odd pair. Then he felt their reiatsu. The orange haired male was powerful indeed; his aura flared wildly, as if even he couldn't control the vast power running through his veins. There was no doubt in his mind, this man was a fighter.

The woman was a different matter. Her reiatsu was warm and soothing, more so than he had ever felt before. Watching her throughout the day, the gentle smiles she gave, her kind acts towards everyone around her, only solidified his hypothesis in his mind...she had to be the one who'd healed the Kuchiki bitch.

He almost wanted to see it for himself just to believe a power such as that existed. To restore an entire limb and bring someone back from the brink of death was a power many would desire; he was not excluded from that list. However, the fighter was too attached to her. There was no doubt she was his woman and to try and take her away would be more of a battle than he wanted to fight at the moment. There was still much he had to do.

That's why he found himself silently opening her unlocked window – foolish woman – and easing into the darkened apartment. Her soft snores directed him towards the rear of her home, where he found the woman asleep on her futon.

Even though her end was about to be met by his hands, he took a moment to appreciate the lovely picture she presented. It was a shame such a beauty had to die, but keeping her for himself would cause more trouble than he felt like dealing with.

The cool hiss of metal as he slid his Zanpakuto from it's sheath brought the barest of smiles to his cold face. He would be merciful with his execution of the auburn haired beauty; a quick beheading while she was still asleep was the only form of apology he would give for her death.

His breathing was even as he raised his sword above his head, keeping her graceful neckline in sight.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well that took longer than expected. **

**Sorry 'bout the wait but this is also the longest chapter to the story so far. Don't know why, things just work out that way sometimes. **

**Big hugs and smooches to all of my readers for the wonderful reviews you leave! I humbly ask for more and let me know what you think about the chapter. **

**'Til later!**


	21. Chapter 21

"_...hime-san."_

"_...wake up, Ori..."_

"_Hurry..."_

"_**Oi, woman! Wake the fuck up now!"**_

Her eyes flew open at the behest of her powers. Coming out of such a deep sleep, she was disorientated to her surroundings for a moment. Yet, there was something she registered immediately; that odd feeling from earlier in the day was back and much more pronounced than before. She could feel it – the nothingness – that had encroached upon her senses. Her smoky eyes cut to the left but the darkness of the room shielded the figure she could make out beside her bed. Before a scream could even work its way into her throat, a gleam of light creeping through her window reflected off something above her.

"_**Move now!"**_

Tsubaki's frantic command came the same moment she realized what it was coming towards her. In a split second she forced her now terrified body to roll away – but she wasn't quick enough. She kept rolling towards the wall even as she heard the mumbled curse of her home invader when his sword imbedded itself into her futon. She struggled to get to her knees as the immense fear she was now under kept her body weak.

For some reason, there was hardly any pain.

Perhaps she was going into shock?

Why she could even think of that at this moment in time was beyond her methods of comprehension. Panic set into her very bones as she brought her hand up to her throat, trying to staunch the flow of blood pouring from her open throat. Rolling away had saved her life at that instant but she had not escaped injury. The tip of his blade had caught her windpipe and continued to open the delicate flesh of her neck as she rolled away. Without even thinking of her powers, her dome materialized over her hunched frame.

Cold eyes assessed her from across the room. She wanted to know who he was, demand to know why he had attacked her, but words could not even form. At the moment even breathing was impossible for her. Every breath she tried to pull in brought nothing but a wet, gurgling sound from her throat.

Tears pricked her eyes...she had never been more afraid in her life.

There had been more frightening looking creatures that had attacked her, men with much more power than the one she felt in front of her had...yet...

She felt as if she were drowning in her own blood. It seeped from between her fingers as she pushed against her own flesh. She couldn't even cry out in the state she was in. Black spots were appearing in her vision as the need for oxygen was making itself known.

"_Another moment Orihime-san."_ she heard Shun'o speak in her mind. _"Please try and focus just another moment."_

Kami, she didn't know if she could. Even know, as she was staring into the dark eyes of this nameless man that had tried to kill her, she could not focus on him at all. The threat of death under her own body had blocked out everything else. All she could tell was that he wasn't rushing in to finish her off.

A rush of air suddenly slipped past her poor, partially healed throat and she began coughing violently against the blood that had poured into her lungs. Shun'o and Ayame had managed to heal her severed windpipe with amazing speed but her life's blood was still leaking from the large cut to her neck. Orihime took several deep breaths once her coughing fit ended. There was still a heavy rattle deep within her chest, much worse but similar to when she had the flu, but she pushed the worry aside for the moment.

She could breath again.

Tears once again filled her eyes but this time in immense relief. Now, with her healing dome beginning to try and close the veins that were ripped open, she tried to focus on the man watching her with such a curious gaze. The details were becoming clear to her now. He was a slim man, but seemed to have a solid frame beneath his shihakusho. Tousled, brown locks reached to his shoulders and fluttered against the night winds coming in from the open window. His sword still lay against her futon and her eyes were drawn to the pure wickedness of its shape.

From tip to handle the sharp edge of the blade was nothing more than a mass of jagged edges. It was nothing like Abarai-kun's sword, which in shikai form had some parts sticking out. No...this was much, much different. The only thing Orihime could think to compare it to was as if someone had broken the sword along the entire length of it. There was no pattern to the sinister looking edges.

It was a sword meant to cause the most pain and damage it possibly could.

Her body gave an involuntary shudder as he slowly raised it from the floor and it gleamed almost wickedly in the moonlight.

Without warning he rushed at her, slashing powerfully against her Soten Kisshun. The golden dome shattered under his assault and an evil grin appeared on his face as he drew back to swing at her once more. With one hand pressed tightly against her still bleeding throat, Orihime threw her other hand in front of her – calling forth her Santen Kesshun. The intruder's blade rang loudly in the apartment as it hit against her sturdy shield. She said a small prayer of thanks when her shield held it's ground.

"So you have more than just healing abilities." the nameless man said. His voice was deep and raspy in quality; the mere sound of it sending small waves of fear down her spine once again.

"Who...who are you?" she whispered. Pain was beginning to leak into her system and she still feared for the state of her throat. This man in front of her was obviously not going to allow her to heal herself fully. She never removed the hand from her throat but she could still feel the gash across her pale skin. While it was so much smaller compared to before, blood was continuing to trickle between her fingers.

"You don't need to know my name." he replied, pushing his free hand against the golden light of her barrier in a curious fashion. "All you need to know is I'm the man who's going to end your life."

Gray eyes widened in surprise as he began slashing furiously at the shield in front of her. Orihime poured her reiatsu into making the shied hold but she could feel the tremors already running through her muscles. Fear, injury, and blood loss had her at a serious disadvantage at the moment. The man never paused; again and again he hacked at the golden shield, trying to force it to break. She was running out of time and needed a plan now.

Orihime looked around the room quickly, hoping and praying for something to help her. Of course, there was nothing nearby that could help her win against this determined killer. The only choice she had was to run. Keeping the hand against the large slash in her neck, she gathered her knees under her and prepared to run. She pushed outward against her Santen Kesshun, forcing it to crowd her attacker and push him back. He floundered momentarily and that was the opportunity she was looking for.

With a quickness and agility she didn't feel capable of, Orihime leapt to her feet and ran for the front door of her apartment. His shout of outrage behind her only pushed her to go faster. With shaking hands, she worked the latch free of it's holder and threw open the worn obstacle. The cold night winds hit her body heavily but she didn't have time to think about them. Her powers returned to her and she knew he would be right behind her. She turned the corner, sprinting towards the staircase leading to the ground floor of her apartment complex. The cold stone of the walkway hurt each time her bare feet made another step but she didn't pause; escape was only a few feet away.

"Bitch." he hissed from close behind her.

She turned mid-step and a muted cry left her lips. His eyes burned with fury as he swung his zanpakuto towards her body once more. There was no where for her to go, no time to put her shield up as his horrible sword made contact with her flesh. Instinct made her throw herself away from his attack but, once again, she cried out as the blade bit into her thigh.

The hard concrete of the railing hit her back and with the momentum of her movement, she went tumbling over the side of the building. For a moment, she was captured in fear as the winds rushed around her. Everything seemed to slow down as the world twisted into a deadly spiral. She saw the dark stranger peer over the railing as he watched her fall, the sidewalk below her grew larger as she careened towards it, she could even see the droplets of her own blood falling after her from his sword's tip.

In a rush, everything settled back into place and she closed her eyes tight against the coming streets.

"_**Idiot!"**_

Tsubaki's call came only a scant second before her powers erupted forth once again, forming her shield as a net to catch her. There was no room to slow her descent and she hit the golden barrier painfully. Her speed caused her to roll from its smooth surface and tumble onto the rough pavement below.

Ignoring the throbbing in her right thigh, she forced her shield to take root in front of her once again. The stranger leapt from the landing she fell from and stood only feet away from her ragged form. She rubbed her hand along the soft black cotton pants she wore before pressing it to her wounded neck. The pressure brought a new wave of pain that had her biting back nausea.

"You're surprisingly resilient." he remarked with a humorless grin.

Her eyes narrowed to him. "You're the one who hurt Kuchiki-san aren't you?"

He took a step forward and she called out Tsubaki. Her fighter hovered just next to her shoulder – awaiting orders from his master.

"And you're the one who healed her." he drawled in that gravelly voice. "I'll admit I am more than surprised by your healing abilities. The both of you should be dead from the injuries I've given you. Had I not watched you heal your own throat I would have never thought something like that possible."

She didn't bother giving him a response. Her eyes darted left and right, hoping desperately to figure out a way to save herself.

She didn't know what to do.

She knew she was too injured, too weak at this moment to hope to ever win a fight against this man. There was no one around and her cell phone lay on her table inside the apartment – not that he'd ever give her time to call someone.

What could she do? There's no way she could outrun him either, even if she didn't have a deep wound to her leg he could simply use his shunpo and catch up with her in a heartbeat.

"It's too bad you're a friend of the Kuchiki's." he began as he once again leveled his sword at her. "If you want to blame somebody, blame them for your death."

With a malicious grin, he raised his sword high and dashed towards her. She shot Tsubaki at him but his flash step to the side allowed him to avoid the powerful small creature. With bated breath, she watched his sword descend.

"El directo!"

The shout came a second before a powerful burst of reiatsu rushed between her shield and the encroaching shinigami. The stranger leapt backwards, his face showing the shock at the interference.

Orihime craned her head backwards and felt relief pour through her system. Sado was running down the street to her position, his armor activated down his right arm. The shinigami curled his lip at the new arrival and prepared to step in his direction. A hail of reishi made arrows encircled him; Orihime saw his sword raise above his head in defense of the sudden attack.

In a blur, Ishida was in front of her shield – ready to face down the man attacking his nakama.

"Inoue, are you alright?" Sado asked when he finally made it to her side. The large man knelt down beside her, eyes sweeping her huddled frame for injuries.

"Sado-kun, Ishida-kun..." tears poured down her face and she tried to smile for her friends. Her whispered voice and bloody neck only caused their eyes to widen in a greater fear. "How did yo..."

"How did we know?" Ishida interrupted. Though he couldn't see the full scale of her injury behind her hand, the massive amount of blood covering her top had him immediately frightened for her. This enemy had to be dealt with quickly; Inoue needed medical attention, or time to call out her Soten Kisshun, and fast. "I've been worried about your comment from earlier today. How you said you felt something weird around us." he turned his now hardened face back to the un-named opponent. "Your reiatsu detecting capabilities are some of the best amongst all of us – shinigami included. I've been monitoring the area all day; that's how I felt this person's presence."

"Ishida told me about the feeling you had so I've been trying to keep a watch out as well. When I felt the spike in your reiatsu I knew something was going on." Sado said from her side.

"Th..."

"Don't speak." Ishida's stern voice spoke, though he didn't turn around. "That wound is bad; just stay there and keep silent until we deal with this guy. I promise we won't take long."

She nodded, though he couldn't see her. Her neck was in considerable pain; the harsh landing she had earlier must have torn the partially repaired cut open even further.

"While I'm sure I would enjoy making you eat those words, _human,"_ the shinigami spat the last word and drew up his lip as if it left a horrible taste in his mouth. "I have no intention of waiting around for the other shinigami to show up. Heed my words, stay away from the Kuchiki clan if you wish to live."

With a final harsh glare to them all, the nameless man sped away using his shunpo. Almost immediately, the odd feeling of nothingness covered the area from all sides, making it impossible to tell in which direction their attacker fled in.

"Damn it." Ishida muttered as he searched fruitlessly for some sort of trail to follow.

"Who was that?"

The trio turned swiftly at the voice – stunned to see current representative for Karakura behind them.

"You're late, as usual." Ishida spat. Orihime turned her eyes to the ground as she began to feel a little uncomfortable. Ishida-kun was angry and she could feel the tension rolling off Sado-kun as well. Unfortunately, she was in no state to try and sooth the rising temper of her friends.

"Ishida," Sado said, turning to his friend. "Where should we take her?"

Ishida didn't ponder the comment for long before pulling his cell phone free from his pocket. "She needs a doctor, and fast. Kurosaki is closer than my father's hospital. Go on and head there; I'm gonna call him so he can wake his father."

Sado nodded once and gently scooped Inoue into his arms. The giant held her securely against his chest and took off in a sprint for the Kurosaki clinic.

Ishida found the vizard's number and dialed; tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his friend to pick up.

"Are you gonna tell me who that was?" the representative asked again, hands on his hips in agitation.

"Quiet!" Ishida snapped as he heard Ichigo finally answer.

"What the hell do you want at 3am Ishida?" Ichigo mumbled, both tired and angry at having been awoken.

"Get your father up and meet us at your clinic door Kurosaki. Inoue-san's been injured."

That alone roused Ichigo fully from the clutches of sleep. "What! What happened? Is she okay?"

"I'll explain later but get your father down there."

Ichigo didn't need to pry any further; his friend's tone said it all. Ishida heard the phone snap shut and sighed heavily at the emotions he knew Ichigo must be going through. He turned angry eyes onto the irritated shinigami in front of him.

"Tell your commanding officer there's been an attack in Karakura by the same man who attacked the Kuchiki residence." Using his hirenkyaku, Ishida pushed himself to catch up with Sado and Inoue, not bothering to wait around until the shinigami stopped sputtering in shock.

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Isshin stood at the door to his clinic, watching the darkened street in front of him with a grave face. His son had been almost frantic as he shook him awake; his words tumbling over each other in his haste to report Ishida's phone call to him. Ichigo was now pacing back and forth in front of the doorway – his brows drawn down in a deep frown and hands clenched by his side. Isshin felt his son's reiatsu rippling over the area and couldn't decide if it felt more angry or scared.

Perhaps Ichigo himself didn't know.

"I meant what I said Ichigo," his father began, drawing his son's eyes towards him. "When they get here I want you to stay back and let me see what's wrong with her. I don't need you hanging all over her demanding answers to what happened and seeing if she's okay."

"I know that!" his son snapped. He resumed his severe pacing once more. Isshin was sure the only thing that kept him from running to meet them was his stern orders to stay put. Isshin knew if his son met them halfway he would invariably hold up their progress to the clinic...and if she was hurt bad enough, that could have disastrous consequences. "What's taking them so long?" Ichigo muttered.

"Calm down son. It's only been a couple of minutes since you got the phone call." Isshin had immediately responded to the rushed words of his son when he woke him. The long time practices of a physician that were ingrained into his blood at this point pulled him from the bed and got his body going. Indeed, he had only thrown his lab coat over his pajamas as he rushed to ready a room.

He felt their reiatsu only a moment before Ichigo did. The two Kurosaki's stilled as they waited for the group to come into view.

When Sado rounded the corner of the block with Orihime in his arms, Isshin saw the danger that had roused him from his bed. "Ichigo, stand out of the way!" his voice left no room for question as he ran back into the house. He propped open the first door of their clinic so Sado would know where to come and began pulling equipment out of the cabinets. Saline bags, IV lines, large gauze pads, iodine, and a suture kit soon filled the bedside tray he'd already prepared. He donned a pair of latex gloves and waited for his patient. Not a moment after he finished, his son's large friend came bursting through the doorway carrying the pale looking young woman.

"Lay her down here Sado-kun." he instructed the young man as he readied a pair of scissors. Orihime's eyes were closed and her face contorted in pain but with the first cut to the bottom of her shirt the young woman sat upright and managed a blush for the doctor.

"What are you doing Kurosaki-san?" she whispered and wrapped her other arm around her middle.

Though her quick reaction stunned him, he smiled to see her conscious. "I have to cut away your shirt to see where the injury is my dear...and you need to lay down." his hands on her shoulder were gentle but firm as they pressed her into the gurney.

"It's my neck that's hurt." she managed to tell him, hoping he would stop trying to cut away her clothes.

He smiled gently for the obviously nervous young woman. However, her eyes were still wide and he could see the hand against her neck tremble. Isshin strongly suspected that wasn't nerves but fear still forcing adrenaline through her body. "Alright, let me see." he said softly.

Her hand slowly moved away from the large gash against her neck and he did his best not to let the shock show on his face. The wound stretched from just above her clavicle to the middle of her throat – dangerously close to her trachea. The cut was not a clean slice, as he had seen many times from a sword wound. Instead, ribbons of her flesh lay flayed open in an awkward way. It didn't look like a cut...it looked more like someone had tried to tear the gentle woman's throat out. Despite the severe look of the wound, he couldn't see any arterial or venous damage that would have caused the massive amount of blood that covered her shirt. That's what caused his panic in the first place.

"Orihime-chan, are you injured anywhere else?"

"I have a cut on my leg."

"No, I mean on your chest somewhere. Your neck looks bad but it's not bleeding enough to have caused you to lose this much blood."

Her face turned away from him at that point. He watched, stunned, as tears began to pour down her pale cheeks. The fine tremors in her hand now spread to the rest of her body. "It was worse."

He barely caught the whispered admission. How much worse could it have been? His eyes roamed the skin of the wounded girl in front of him as his brain began reminding him of her healing powers. Shock lanced through his body as a thought struck him. _There's no way..._

"What are you doing old man!" Ichigo screamed from the corner of the room. "Hurry up and help her!"

Isshin didn't bother to turn towards his son. The pain in the loud words was enough, he didn't want to see the face of his son possibly breaking as well.

Orihime grabbed his hand as he pressed gauze to her wounded neck. "I can heal myself."

"Orihime-chan, you've lost a lot of blood and your reiatsu is weak." he protested.

"I know, but I still have enough left for this. It would be really hard to try and sew together, wouldn't it?" she asked with a sad smile.

He reluctantly nodded and returned the sad gaze she'd given him. Truth be told, he didn't even know where to begin to place the stitches she needed. "Go ahead and heal your neck. I'm gonna give you some IV fluids and take a look at your leg okay?"

"Yes sir." she called out her dome but restrained herself and only placed it over her neck. The heat of battle was gone now and lying on the gurney in Kurosaki-san's house, where she knew she was safe, was letting her relax a little. Unfortunately, that also meant the shock of everything was wearing off and the pain was getting worse. Her leg was on fire, her back and shoulders hurt from her tumble on the ground, but none were as bad as her neck. The entire upper left side of her body was screaming in torture. Her eyes were shut tightly as she tried to keep the tears at bay.

A gentle hand covered her own; the fingers sliding against her skin as if she were made of very fragile glass. Her tired eyes opened to see Ichigo's face just above her own. His lips were tilted up just so as he gazed into her eyes. He squeezed her hand lightly, just to let her know he was with her. Ichigo's presence surrounded her, filled her with the knowledge that she wasn't alone anymore. She was safe now – he would make sure of that.

Her eyes closed and she rested while her powers worked on her ravaged neck. The tension eased out of her body as Ichigo continued to sit beside her, stroking the back of her hand while his father helped heal her injuries.

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The cold was biting through the thin jacket he'd thrown on but he stubbornly ignored it. Ichigo sat on the steps leading into the clinic, peering down the darkened empty streets of Karakura.

He had to leave the house.

Orihime was sleeping now; his father was watching over her so he was satisfied that she was in good care for the moment. The horrible injuries he had to see on her person were – for the most part – taken care of. She'd used the last of her strength repairing the damage to her neck. The skin there was once again smooth and unblemished as it should be. His father could do, or should he say, would only do so much for the injury to her leg. The ragged edges of her flesh would be difficult to mend together so he set about just dressing the wound for now. A cold, wet dressing was placed immediately over the wound and it was then wrapped with gauze. He thought it would be better for Orihime to heal it whenever she regained her strength. Had he sutured it, she would be left with a large, uneven scar.

Rage boiled so strongly within Ichigo right now that he had to get away from everyone. His friends stayed within the house, re-telling the events of the night to his father. He'd already heard the story once and as soon as she had fallen asleep he ran out of the house, quickly changing into shinigami form and scouring the city for any sign of the bastard who'd hurt her. Unfortunately, he had no luck. It was just as Ishida said, there was absolutely no sign of the man's reiatsu and no trail of any sort left to follow.

His hands curled into fists in the protection of his pockets.

Again.

Once again he had to watch her bleed and couldn't do a fucking thing about it.

He felt it once more. The dark, murderous feelings ran through his veins. His hollow flexed and twisted within the deep confines of his soul with joy at the blood lust he felt. There would be bloodshed...but not from Orihime; no, he demanded the blood of the bastard who dared to touch her.

But how in the hell were they supposed to catch this bastard?

A familiar presence was approaching the clinic. Before he could even think to get up or call to his friends, Ishida appeared at the doorway.

"She's still resting." the Quincy simply said as they awaited the new arrivals to appear. Ichigo only gave a nod of understanding; he still wasn't up for talking to anyone at this point.

Rukia and Renji led the small troop of shinigami towards the Kurosaki clinic.

"How is she?" Rukia immediately asked.

Ichigo wouldn't, couldn't answer that question. The fear he'd seen in her eyes as she lay bleeding on that cold gurney would haunt him for a very long time.

"She's sleeping." Ishida replied when he realized Ichigo would not. "The larger of her injuries have been healed but there are more yet to tend to."

The petite shinigami's shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank the kami."

"What happened?" Byakuya simply asked.

"I can only tell you what we witnessed." Ishida said. "We've not heard anything from Inoue-san yet as to how this started."

"We need the information." Toshiro piped in. "According to Kurumadni, the person who attacked was indeed a shinigami like Kuchiki reported, but he escaped again."

"Yes, he was a shinigami but I don't recall ever seeing him before." Ishida informed them, pushing his slender glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "He was dressed in a shihakusho and carried a zanpakuto."

"We need a report from you but we will need to speak to Inoue Orihime as well."

Ichigo moved, only slightly...he just shifted his weight where he sat but it was enough to draw the attention of the four shinigami in front of him. Dark brown eyes swirling with a depth of emotion locked onto the two captains. "You'll wait until she wakes up on her own." His voice gave no room for any arguments.

Byakuya met the harsh stare with one of his own. They had not been given much detail about her injuries but a single look from the substitute told him all they needed to know.

"We will be back in the morning." Byakuya finally said and turned on his heel – walking away from the group.

"Ni...Nii-sama?" Rukia called in vain.

"Let him go Rukia."

"But Renji..."

His large hand came to rest on her slender shoulder. The red-head turned to face Ichigo once again. "Is she really alright Ichigo?"

The concern shining through the eyes of his normally gruff friend was too much for him to continue to watch. Ichigo turned away with a soul weary sigh. Perhaps Renji could tell how much he was hurting because they had shared similar pains recently.

"Yeah," he finally said. "She'll be okay. There's another wound on her leg that needs to heal but she's too worn out to do anything about it right now."

"He didn't...?" Rukia began but couldn't manage to finish the sentence. By the look of horror on her face he knew she was thinking about the injury she herself had suffered under this man's hands.

"No. He got her neck instead." Ichigo said after a pause.

The three shinigami were silent after the vizard's low admission. Though they could only conjure up scenarios as to what happened, the mood surrounding the entire clinic led them to believe the horrible things they were imaging to possibly be true.

"We'll continue to search tonight for any new leads but I doubt we'll be successful." Toshiro commented. "I'll send someone else to aide the representative for the night, just to be cautious. Where should we meet you tomorrow?"

After a moment's pause, Ichigo stood and brushed the loose dirt from his pants. "Just meet us at Orihime's apartment. Seeing as it's already past 4am don't bother coming til around lunch." he didn't wait for a reply but walked back in to her bedside. Ishida was saying something to the shinigami but he couldn't care less.

He gave a nod to his father, who sat in the corner of the room making notes on a clip board. Chado wasn't in the room any longer but he had no desire to seek out his friend.

Someone had placed a chair by her bedside – his father probably – so he took the unoccupied seat. Color was slowly returning to her pale cheeks. The even, deep breaths of her slumber were a great comfort to his turbulent emotions. No grimace of pain crossed her beautiful face during her dreams and for that he was grateful. Instead of the blood soaked pajamas she had been wearing when she arrived, she now wore one of the hospital gowns his father kept handy.

Tenderly, he brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead as he studied her. How many more times was she going to come so close to death? Why couldn't he protect her the way he wanted to?

He sighed once again and laid his head on the bed. Threading his fingers through her own, he tried to calm the thoughts rushing through his brain. He could do nothing about the lingering questions he still had so he tried to push them out of his head.

All he cared about at the moment was the warmth of her skin and the steady heartbeat ticking away on the monitor.

* * *

** -x-x-x-x-x-x—x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**A/N:**

**whew! Just made it at the month mark! I'd apologize but it'll probably happen again for the next chapter. If I've never said it before, I work in the medical field and this is that time of year when it gets extra busy. I work longer hours and pretty much stay in a state of exhaustion for the next three or four months. I will, of course, do my best to keep my updates at least at a reasonable pace but I ask for everyone's understanding. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter! Review pretty please! I've almost hit that 400 mark and really wanna see it pass it this time. **

**Oh, and come on...who went into fan girl super mode with me at Ichigo's new bankai?**


	22. Chapter 22

Changing into a clean pair of clothes after her shower definitely helped the young healer feel better after her harrowing incident only hours before. A cold grip of fear still lingered in the aftermath but she knew from experience that would soon leave her. However, the angry pulse of Ichigo's reiatsu was enough to make everyone in the room feel out of sorts.

Well, perhaps everyone except Byakuya; his face remained handsomely stoic as usual.

"Well," Ichigo began in surprisingly low tones to Byakuya. His refrain from yelling and swearing as per usual when he was upset only put Orihime even further on edge. "Do you recognize the description of this guy?"

Orihime had finished recalling the events of her attack only moments before. The same shinigami that showed up to the Kurosaki household while she was wounded now sat in the living room of her apartment. While she had never thought of her home as small, having so many imposing figures knelt around her table made the room seem to diminish in size. The usual comfortable essence of the room was greatly over powered by some of the most powerful shinigami of Soul Society.

"Nothing about this person's reiatsu, zanpakuto, or physical appearance seem familiar to me." Byakuya replied in cool tones. "You are certain of his words?"

"Yes sir." Orihime said as she met his eyes. "He said if we wanted to live we should stay away from the Kuchiki clan."

Only a slight narrowing of his eyes showed his displeasure at the statement.

"Perhaps it is not you yourself he has the grievance with." Ishida began. "I would suggest you relay the information to the elders of the clan and see what information they could give."

Byakuya said nothing, but regarded the Quincy in silence for a moment longer. He returned his attention to Orihime without giving any indication that he would consider the advice. Ishida rolled his eyes at the arrogance of the Kuchiki head...after his attention was away of course.

"Is there anything else about this individual you haven't told us?"

Orihime's head tilted slightly as she thought about every detail of her attacker. After a moment of pondering she shook her head negatively. Toshiro spoke up at that point, giving instructions to Rangiku, who joined them this time after much protest of being left out before, and informing the group that extra shinigami would be added to the patrols in an effort to catch this elusive individual. Orihime's attention was drawn away from the conversing group to seek out Ichigo. He sat leaned back against her wall, still within the circle of their friends but far enough away that he could exclude himself if he chose to do so.

Ever since she'd woken up properly she had noticed something different about his mannerisms towards her. He stayed close by her side, never allowing her to veer very far from him. That wasn't unexpected - considering the circumstances. Yet, his demeanor was different than she thought it would be. The sorrowful eyes he would turn on her at times were ones she had seen before. Orihime knew that Ichigo was very serious in his determination to protect those people he cared about. He'd tried to apologize to her in the past when she'd been injured in his presence; though she would never allow him to do so. She knew that pain and injury were things that came with the fierce battles they'd been in. Ichigo's want to place the blame on himself was something she didn't want him to do.

Was that the reason he was acting this way once again? The signs seemed to point to that conclusion, but he wasn't with her when the attack occurred. If he was just worried about her safety she didn't think he would be acting so contrite.

His dark brown eyes caught hers as she continued to watch him. The look of remorse that crossed his face as they gazed at one another hurt and frustrated her. Orihime vowed to speak to him the first opportunity they got.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be then. As the meeting reached an end, Ichigo was called out by Toshiro to speak about matters further. The vizard offered her a quick farewell and a promise to be back later before following the captain out of her apartment.

Just as quickly as they came, they all left.

Orihime was once again alone in her apartment. The silence seemed endless after the chorus of voices had vacated her home. The healer busied herself with gathering the tea cups and washing them to give her suddenly antsy hands something to do. While the sink filled with water, she couldn't help but to think over the looks Ichigo had been giving her once again. That last glance of his confirmed in her mind how he was feeling about the attack. He was once again trying to blame himself for her injury.

Why did he think he had to be everywhere at once? How could he have possibly known she would be attacked that night?

While she respected his determination, she was not going to let him place the blame for her attack on himself. Orihime knew she had to train harder so she wouldn't be caught so unawares next time. If she continued to get hurt so badly, Ichigo was only going to continue blaming himself for each drop of blood she shed.

One of the reasons she felt jealousy towards Kuchiki-san was because of her ability to stand beside Ichigo, even during battle. While Orihime didn't think she would be proficient with a sword, even after a lot of training, she had her own special powers that she could train with. Tsubaki was forever complaining to her how she didn't work hard enough with him; given time and a strong will, she knew she would be able to utilize him better in battle. Perhaps then Ichigo would allow her to fight along side him.

The sunlight of the afternoon faded away as the darkness of night began cloaking the city. Her TV glowed brighter against the now shadowed room. Orihime wrapped her blanket tighter around herself as she watched some comedy movie - not that she was paying attention to it very much. It was nearly midnight and Ichigo had not returned. True, he didn't say he would be back that day but she had been hoping to talk to him.

A slightly familiar reiatsu crept at the edge of her senses and she warily made her way to the window. It was difficult to locate the shinigami as the street lights glow did nothing to help view the rooftops. A few blocks away, she could just make out the form of what looked to be a member of the tenth squadron. She wasn't acquainted with the man but had been near him several times in her visits to Soul Society. As she watched, a second shinigami met with the other and looked to be discussing something for a moment before he shunpoed away. Toshiro had said they would be posting extra shinigami to help keep a watch for the rogue attacker but she didn't realize they would stay so close to her apartment. She didn't like to be the cause of any trouble but deep down she was glad for the extra protection.

Shutting off the TV that she hadn't truly watched in over an hour, Orihime made her way to her futon. The day had been very long and tiring. She was happy to do nothing more than get comfortable in her soft bed and allow sleep to consume her.

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x

He was back again.

Orihime stood from her futon and slowly walked towards the door to her apartment. The smooth fabric of her pajamas made soft rustling sounds in the otherwise silent room. She gave only a cursory glance to her night wear. Satisfied it covered her decently enough, she opened the door and stood just inside the apartment. The full moon lit up the clear night sky brilliantly, enabling her to just make out his form above the rising buildings.

If Ichigo kept this up he was going to make himself sick from lack of sleep.

Almost two weeks had passed since the night of her attack and every night she felt her love's presence close to her home around midnight. At first, she welcomed it. Knowing Ichigo was keeping watch over her as she slept was a soothing tonic to her worried mind. Shortly after he would arrive she would fall asleep. Ichigo never came to her door or let her know he was there in anyway. She would simply feel the strong power of his reiatsu and know he was nearby.

However, she was now beginning to worry about him. His nightly vigils, though she didn't know how long they lasted, had to be wearing down his body and mind. There had been no other attacks but being a shinigami wasn't his only responsibility. They still had to go to school every morning and he took care of the occasional hollow that attacked the town. While she was happy he cared enough to look out for her safety so vigilantly, he had to start taking care of himself.

And she would be sure he understood that before he left tonight.

She didn't have to wait long at the open door before he appeared in front of her via his shunpo. His brows were drawn down in a deep scowl as his eyes swept her body quickly. She bit her lip in worry as she noticed the dark circles under his beautiful brown eyes.

"Are you okay?" he quickly asked.

"Of course Ichigo-kun. I'm fine."

"Then why the hell are you standing in the doorway?"

"Come inside please." she calmly replied to his hasty question. He raised an eyebrow in question but obediently followed behind. Orihime took her time walking back to the futon and sitting on the plush surface. She knew this would probably become an argument but she had to make Ichigo understand that he didn't have to watch her every second of the day. Soul Society had taken extra measures to make sure if the rogue shinigami showed up again he could be captured. Every day, 2 or 3 extra shinigami patrolled Karakura; and they were all seated officers so there could be no mistakes.

He had done well to avoid this topic since the day the shinigami questioned her about the attack. Ichigo had never shown up that night and when she tried to bring the subject up the next day at school, he effectively changed the subject or made sure they were quickly surrounded by other students. Whenever she managed to corner him - wanting to discuss the guilt she knew he still felt over her attack - he would brush her concerns aside and reply with a quick "don't worry about it". This had gone on long enough and she was determined to have this conversation tonight.

The last thing she wanted to do was be at odds with him over something but she had to do this for his sake. "Ichigo-kun, why are you doing this?"

Again, his face showed the confusion he felt from her question. "Doing what?"

"This." her hand moved in a sweeping motion. "Coming to my apartment every night. Just because you haven't come inside doesn't mean I didn't know you were here."

Ichigo slid Zangetsu from his back and sat next to her on the futon. "I thought you might have noticed." he reluctantly admitted.

"I have a pretty good idea why you're doing it and I was hoping you would stop soon."

His dark eyes locked onto her face in the moonlit apartment. "I'm not stopping until this bastard is caught and dealt with."

"It's already been over a month since the first attack on the Kuchiki's home. This could go on a while Ichigo-kun."

"Then I will be here a while." he said in a voice of finality.

She blew a long breath out as she searched his face. His eyes were hardened – always a sign that he'd made up his mind about something. Regardless of the confidence in his eyes, she still took note of the signs of weariness about him. The dark circles under his eyes, the haggard look to his handsome face, his posture was more slumped than usual. She had to do everything she could to convince him; she was worried he was going to collapse soon. "Ichigo-kun, there are other shinigami out there patrolling every night. Don't you think that's enough?"

"What if they get caught up or don't sense him soon enough? You could be in danger again."

"But Ichigo-kun, you aren't getting enough sleep." she pleaded. "You're going to wear yourself down like this."

His face softened a little in the wake of her worried tone. "Don't worry about me Orihime, I'm fine."

"But you won't be if you keep this up!"

Ichigo gave her a half smile and started to rise from the futon. "You should get some sleep."

"Oh no you don't." she mumbled and grabbed for his arm, holding him firmly in place on the bed. Her cheeks flushed lightly as her brain caught up with her impetuous body and she realized what she'd done.

He stared dumbly at the dainty hand wrapped around his arm. It almost didn't seem feasible that she would stop him from leaving like that. "Orihime, I already told you I'm fine."

Determined gray eyes stared back into his own. "Stop trying to take responsibility for every problem Ichigo-kun."

The seriousness in her tone and gaze sent a prickle of annoyance down his spine. "I don't." he spat at her. "But this bastard came to _my_ town and attacked _my_ woman. I think that makes it _my_ problem Orihime."

She knew it would be like this and though the harsh tones they spoke in made her uneasy, she was more worried about him than a minor argument. "Ichigo-kun, you still don't have to be up every single night like this."

"I'll do whatever it takes to catch this guy and make sure you stay safe."

"I can take care of myself."

Something flashed in his molten eyes and she suddenly found herself lying flat on her back on the futon. Ichigo had taken hold of her shoulders and pushed her back – his imposing form hovering over her. "Really?" he asked in a low, dangerous tone. "The last time I checked you almost bleed to death in my fathers clinic. Your neck was nearly severed and only the kami knows what would have happened had Ishida and Chado not gotten there. And you want me to what? Stop worrying about you?"

Angry waves of his reiatsu rolled off him but that wasn't what gave her pause. Hidden under the anger he was comfortable with were heavy waves of pain and sadness. His tone was nearly dripping in self-loathing and grief and it hurt her to hear that. She gazed up at him, not caring about the harshness of his features. All the emotions he had rolling around inside of him were based out of concern for her.

She felt herself falling even more in love with him.

"Ichigo." she called out softly. Her delicate hands lifted to frame his handsome face. "I'm glad you care for me and worry about me but...can't I be worried about you too?" Some of the anger left his features but his hands were still gently, but firmly, wrapped around her arms. A sad smile lifted her lips as she looked up into his barely visible face in the dim moonlight bathing the room. "Look at you. You look so tired. How am I supposed to feel if you get hurt in a fight with someone because you'd already worn yourself out protecting me?"

Ichigo stared into her eyes for a moment longer before a heavy sigh left his lips. Letting his chin drop to his chest, he let go of her right shoulder and propped himself on his elbow above her. Orihime tried to ignore the thrill that shot through her when he lifted his head and she found their faces very close to one another.

"I have to make sure you're safe, Orihime. Don't you get that?"

Her hands propped on his weary shoulders as she watched the strong emotions continue to flash through his eyes. "I do understand Ichigo. I honestly do; but I want to protect you too." The words bubbled up in her throat before she could stop them. She felt them coming and though it embarrassed and scared her a little since she'd not said them once since they began going out, they felt too right to ever be held back. "I love you Ichigo."

His lips parted on an unintelligible word as his eyes grew rounder and brighter. It seemed his brain was trying to respond to the comment but his body took control of the situation. Only a moment after she poured her heart out to him once again, his lips were fastened onto hers.

Her body responded instinctively to the fierce passion behind his kisses. Their lips melded into one another, almost becoming a single entity. His weight pressed hers into the futon as his tongue began a sensual rhythm which she gave her all to follow.

"So long." his breathless voice whispered against her lips as he pulled back slightly. "Too long...since you've...told me that." He spoke in broken sentences; his body not willing to leave her lips long enough to speak coherently.

Orihime could do little more than moan in response as he once again took possession of her mouth. Her fingers clenched tightly in the cotton of his kosode when his free hand began trailing down her arm and slipping under her back. She soon found herself pressed even tighter against Ichigo as he lifted her body into his own with his powerful arm. Their legs were intertwined and a hot shiver wracked her body as the evidence of his arousal laid against her thigh.

The breath she tried to take in became nothing more than a gasp as Ichigo abandoned her lips in favor of trailing kisses along her neck and jawline. He quickly moved to the nape of her neck and set about marking her once again as his. The powerful sensation wracked her body and the heat coiling within her began pulsating.

Ichigo grabbed her in a tight hug and simply held her against himself as he tried to calm down. His desire for her was at a frighteningly high level and he didn't trust himself to stop should he continue kissing her.

Orihime kept her arms wrapped tightly around his strong shoulders though he had stopped kissing her or even stroking her burning flesh. What happened? Once again she couldn't help but to think she'd done something wrong. As she shifted slightly under his weight, she felt the hard length of him between them.

That's what it was.

Honestly she didn't know whether to be thankful for his consideration or angry at his disregard to her feelings.

Many times now, she'd seen a quick glance or felt Ichigo's...reaction...after they'd been close. It thrilled her in a deep, primal, womanly way to know that she was capable of producing this reaction in him. To know that he wanted her – as a woman – was a satisfying feeling. Though, with the sense of honor her boyfriend had she wasn't overly surprised that he kept halting their intimacy before it could go too far.

Honestly, she wasn't even sure if she was ready for _that_ just yet. Deep in the back of her mind and sometimes in her dreams, she thought about it. How it would feel to really connect with Ichigo on that level. The thought was both scary...and incredibly tantalizing. Her face would always erupt immediately into a deep blush as an ingrained embarrassment would take hold of her.

Yet...it didn't stop her from thinking about it.

While she didn't think she was ready for that step, she knew there were other ways to be _close_ to one another. As shocking as it was to hear sometimes...girls talked. She would hear them whispering in homeroom or in the locker room during P.E. She wasn't purposefully listening to their conversation but she couldn't help but to hear the things they said. Sometimes she couldn't even believe the things they would tell each other. For certain, she would never discuss such personal matters with her friends.

Due to that information she'd reluctantly collected, her overactive imagination gave her various scenarios that played out in her head. Was it very naughty of her that she really wanted to try them with her beloved Ichigo-kun?

He held himself back so much for her, did so much for her, she wanted him to know how much she loved and wanted him in return. Her confidence level for this sort of thing was dangerously low but her body began to move on it's own. Relying on an instinct ingrained in her very core, she began pushing him lightly so that he rolled on his back. The moment he was lying against her futon, her body came to partially cover his own. She saw the confusion in his face, but only offered him a smile before her lips met his own.

Her lips were gentle but firm against his. She nipped and licked at him until he took control once again. She melted against his lips as his passion returned with a great force. The hand she had on his shoulder began a downwards trek on his sculpted body. The open collar of his kosode was a blessing for her curious fingers. Petite fingertips danced over warm skin as the muscles jumped in response to her caress. She felt his grip on her tighten when her hand skimmed down the taut surface of his belly.

Orihime was glad for the cover of darkness. She was sure her face was aflame with her bold actions but she had no intention of stopping. As her hand trailed lower, running up the length of his thigh, Ichigo pulled back from her delectable mouth.

"Orihime..." he began.

"Let me." she whispered against his lips before kissing him once more. She felt his hesitancy but continued on her journey. She was innocent, they both were, but she wasn't naive to his feelings. She had to show him that she had the same desires, that he wasn't alone in his want and need. Her body craved the same attention, no matter how much it embarrassed her to admit that.

Her hand hovered above his pants for a few seconds before she fought against the fear of the unknown and lightly grabbed him through his shihakusho. Ichigo's breathed hitched violently and the hand on her lower back pressed deep into her flesh. She was careful as she softly caressed the thick length hidden behind the cotton. Her eyes remained closed and she continued to rain kisses upon him to hide the fierce coloring to her face. Again and again she felt the long, thick length of him. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination but it felt like it grew as she cupped him gently.

"You...you don't have to do this." Ichigo said as he gasped for breath. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

She smiled at that; it was so nice to know he always thought about her. "I want to." She breathed against his lips. "Let me do this for you."

He warred with himself – as much as he could considering the tortuous pleasure he was under. She took the difficult decision away from him when her nimble fingers grasped the tie at his pants and gave a tug. With the waist sufficiently loosened, her small hand slipped past his navel and disappeared into his clothing. Ichigo felt himself throb at the very sight.

Her pulse was flying as she first touched the smooth skin of his member. Orihime's hand was even shaking a little; whether it was from nervousness or excitement she didn't know. A slow deep breath passed through her lungs and she wrapped her hand around him. Ichigo's hips jerked at the touch and his breath hissed through his teeth. Her eyes locked onto what she could see of his face in the darkened room and she was shocked to see him appear to be in pain. Her fingers automatically began pulling away.

"I'm so sorry." she rushed to say. "Did I hurt you?"

He couldn't immediately answer but his hand wrapped around hers – returning her grip to his hot length.

"No." he finally managed to croak.

Her hand flexed experimentally around the warm beneath it and she watched his face closely. Ichigo's own hand seemed to be encouraging her to grab tighter. But wasn't he in pain?

"Umm...I...I don't really know what I'm supposed to do Ichigo-kun." she whispered shyly. "Could you...could you tell me what to do?"

Lowered lids parted half-way to reveal his burning chocolate eyes. A rush of breath, that sounded suspiciously like _fuck_, passed his parted lips. The hand on her back lowered slowly, his calloused fingers kneading the flesh as it traveled to her hip. "G...grab me tighter." his voice was nothing more than a deep rumble from his chest.

She looked unsure of his request but did as he said. Her fingers slowly began closing tighter around him. A deep moan erupted from his throat and the hand encircling hers move away to grip the quilted layers of her futon. The hand on her hip slipped down to the plump flesh of her ass and pushed her body tightly against his own.

"Oh." her dazed voice whispered in wonder. _He likes that. _

Experimentally, she stroked the length of him, amazed at the soft yet unyielding skin beneath her fingertips. As her hand moved faster still, she watched his face closely. It still looked as if he were in pain but she realized that was not the case. His breath would leave him in a gasp whenever she encircled the tip of him. His jaw would clench when her hand would grip him tighter.

A deep yearning began within her. Her blood began to burn with want as she felt his body contracting and releasing under her. Orihime recognized her own breath coming in faster pants and her nipples tightening beneath her shirt. Helpless to stop the rush of desire singing through her, she crashed her lips into his own as she continued to pump his length.

Ichigo responded to her in way he never had before. Her own whimpers were caught in his mouth as he devoured her. His pelvis thrust against her hand while he pushed their hips together. His fingers left the padding of the bed to find her sensitive breast and squeeze it's abundance. She gasped against his lips when he found her hardened nipple and pinched it lightly.

"Damn...ahhh..."

She couldn't respond to the guttural curses he moaned. Her voice was long gone as instinct took over both their actions.

"Orihime."

The way he moaned her name had her tingling all over. Her hand moved faster and she felt his muscles tightening in response. Ichigo's breath panted against her own. His arms suddenly wrapped around her tightly as a harsh cry left his lips. A warmth soon covered her fingers as he jerked against her body. She held him tightly until he laid utterly still in her embrace.

After what seemed an eternity, she pulled back to see his relaxed face. A ghost of a smile played on his lips as he regarded her through nearly closed eyes. His lips brushed against hers lovingly before he pulled her back into his body.

Orihime smiled as she felt the tension leave his body entirely. His breathing slowed and grew deeper. "I love you Ichigo." she whispered against his chest. He mumbled something in his exhaustion but she forced her heartbeat to calm down. After all, she couldn't be entirely sure he knew what he was saying. When she felt the hand around her shoulders go slack, she eased away from his chest and sat up. The moonlight was dim, but it afforded enough light for her to see his still lingering smile.

As she retreated to the bathroom, more practical thoughts came to her mind. She hoped his body was at home – preferably with Kon occupying it – as she was not going to wake him up to find out. It wasn't even 1am and for the first time in two weeks she was going to make sure he slept properly. Though, even if Kon was in his body his father would know it wasn't him. If he went searching for his reiatsu...

She blushed once again and said a quick prayer that he wouldn't do that. She didn't want Kurosaki-san to think badly of her.

After she made sure the door and windows were still locked, she crawled into the bed beside her lightly snoring love. She swallowed the giggle that tried to come out from her random thought as she got comfortable against his warm body.

At least now she how to make him go to sleep.

* * *

**Xxxxxxxxxx-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**A/N:**

**So I made it before the month mark again...pat on the back for me. **

**And we got into some explicit content here for the first time. Hope you enjoyed that. It's not me that's dirty...it's the computer. I swear it! :)**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter and many many thanks to you all! Got past that 400 mark! I send internet cheesecakes to you all! **

**Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and I hope you have a Happy New Year! Be safe and make sure your friends are too. **

**I appreciate you all and humbly ask for your reviews once again. Much love! Til later!**


	23. Chapter 23: The Pain

Ichigo groaned and threw his palm over his eyes to try and block the sun from blinding him as he awoke. Absentmindedly, he wondered why his curtains were failing to block out the majority of the annoying rays that morning. His hand reached out, blindly searching for his alarm clock that had failed to go off. When his hand encountered no bed side table, he finally eased his eyes open and allowed them to acclimate to the light. In that one instant, he finally recalled he wasn't sleeping in his bed nor even at his home. Orihime's familiar apartment furnishings came into view as he sat up in the futon. It took him a moment to realize his love wasn't beside him...and that he was still in shinigami form.

As he stood from the bed his hands had to struggle to catch his falling pants. Securing the knot to hold his hakama up brought back the heated images of the previous night. A slow, satisfied smile took root on his face as he recalled the pleasure Orihime brought him. While he had not wanted to make her feel uncomfortable or pressured in any way, she had been the one to make that first step in their relationship.

He went in search of her, anxious to see her face and make sure she didn't regret her actions of last night. He searched the entire apartment yet couldn't find her anywhere. Just as he was beginning to worry, he caught a glimpse of her auburn hair through the living room window.

She stood on the street, hands gesticulating wildly as she spoke with a mother and her young child. Her smile was bright and infectious – not only to those she spoke with but to himself as well. Whatever she said caused the child to burst out in laughter. Orihime faked a pout and knelt down to the child. With her mother watching, straining to hold back a smile, Orihime began tickling the beautiful young girl.

Ichigo smiled as he leaned against the window and continued to watch her interact with her neighbors. He had the sudden urge to join her, though that wasn't possible at the moment. She would be able to talk with him but he had no desire to make her appear addled in front of others. Watching her play with the child somehow brought him an odd sort of peace that – though it confused him – he welcomed it.

She soon bid her farewells to the pair and turned to come back into the apartment. When her eyes caught sight of him, he got the pleasure of seeing a faint blush appear on her cheeks. He enjoyed the sight as she made her way up the stairs. He would have to leave soon and retrieve his body (not to mention take a shower) but he had every intention of enjoying her presence for as long as he could this morning.

"Good morning Ichigo-kun." she greeted cheerfully as she entered the apartment.

"Morning." he returned, not yet moving from his position.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby. And for a long time too according to your clock."

She looked over to her table, taking note of the 9:45 showing on its digital face. Her look was slightly sheepish as she turned back to face him. Small, white teeth came out to gently nibble on her bottom lip. "Umm...sorry, but it's not a school day and you know you were really tired and I just didn't want to disturb you and I saw Machiko-chan when I went to get the mail so I jus..."

He chuckled at her rambling and walked over to draw her into a hug, his head resting lightly on hers. "I know, I know. It's my own fault for getting so tired like that."

"Really?" she mumbled against his solid chest. "You're not mad at me for not waking you up?"

Ichigo drew back and sent her one of his scowls. "Why the hell would I get mad at you for that?"

Orihime allowed herself to relax and wrap her arms around him. "I didn't know if you needed to get back to your body before your family woke up but you were just so tired I couldn't make myself wake you."

"Nah, it'll be fine. If anything, they'll just think I'm sleeping in."

"That's good." she sighed with relief. "I didn't want you to get into trouble."

Ichigo shook his head. "Get in trouble for staying out all night in my shinigami form? Yeah, that'd be a first." He smirked at the giggle that produced and leaned down to kiss her softly. "I didn't thank you yet either." his husky voice whispered across the soft skin of her lips.

"Thank me for what?" his hands were rubbing circles on her back. The motion was relaxing her into an almost boneless state.

His lips caressed hers again before he spoke. "For last night."

Orihime squeaked in embarrassment and hid her face against his chest.

"Orihime." he called out – unable to keep his laughter from leaking through. She simply nodded her head against his chest, refusing to raise her face. Ichigo tightened his hold around her and laughed into the crown of her hair.

Perhaps it was because she was so embarrassed herself but he felt the heat of his own blush receding. Why should he be embarrassed about something, anything, they do together? In his own dreams he had done much, _much, _more intimate things to the woman in his arms.

And if the kami were willing, he would eventually do them in real life.

The only hesitation he had last night was over her feelings on the matter. They had come so far since that night in October and he didn't want to do anything that may put their new found happiness in jeopardy. However, it seemed becoming more physical in their relationship wasn't something she was against. Though her embarrassment was making her hide from him right now, last night she was so passionate and giving. Ichigo made himself stop recalling those memories lest he find himself trying to reenact them already.

"Why are you hiding from me?" he asked with a teasing grin she couldn't see.

Her voice was muffled but he could still hear her every word. "You can't talk about that. It's too embarrassing!"

His hands swept her back in slow motions. "Mmm...I don't know about that. I really feel like talking about every part of it. Like how when your hands gr..."

Orihime quickly covered his mouth with her hand. She wanted to scold him but was reduced to sputtering nonsense at his brazen words. His chocolate eyes held a teasing glint and she could feel his mouth curving into a smile beneath her hands. Mortified, she withdrew her hands and abruptly turned around in his arms. Unfortunately, she couldn't walk away from him as he continued to have a strong hold, now around her waist.

"Don't get upset Orihime. I was just teasing you."

"I'm not upset." she finally admitted. "I just can't even believe you would talk about that. How can you even say the words out loud?" her hands came up to hide her face once again.

Ichigo dropped a kiss to the base of her neck before continuing. "I'm not ashamed of anything I do with you."

"I'm not ashamed!" she stubbornly replied. "It's just..." she searched for the right words before finally admitting shyly. "I can't even imagine thinking some of those words much less saying them."

He laughed once again as he continued to hold her. "Yeah, I always thought so too; but it's different with you."

She craned her neck to look into his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah."

Part of the dark red covering her face began to fade. "Well...I still don't think I can talk about stuff like that."

"That's okay too. I don't mind helping you out with that."

"Ichigo-kun!"

"And you're always so cute when you blush."

His laughter rang out in the small apartment as she tried, unsuccessfully, to get out of his hold. His behavior was almost foreign to even himself that morning. Whether it was because he was finally rested, his happiness, or because of the events of last night he didn't know. He also didn't care.

No one else was here besides himself and the woman he was falling so deeply in love with, so there was no reason to hold himself back of anything. Orihime had seen him at his best and his worst. Everything else fell in between those lines so there was no need to restrain himself.

Her phone ringing cut into their playful bantering and he finally released her so she could answer it.

"Hello? Oh hey Yuzu-chan." Ichigo caught her eye as she listened to his sister. "Uh huh...yeah...well if your sure that's okay?...okay then. I'd love to...yes...I'll see you then. Okay, bye."

"What was that all about?" Ichigo asked when she ended the call.

"Yuzu-chan just invited me over for lunch."

"Oh. Okay."

"Are you sure it's alright?" she asked, not satisfied with his nonchalant answer.

"Sure. It won't be the first time you've eaten with my family so why wouldn't it be?" he asked, slightly confused at her hesitancy.

"I just don't want to inconvenience anyone." she admitted.

He huffed out a sigh and grabbed a lock of her hair between his fingers. "How is it an inconvenience if she's the one who invited you?"

"I...umm..."

"You know the girls really like you, right? Not to mention they found out we're together. Hell, they probably wanna check to make sure I haven't chased you away already or something."

Orihime giggled at the scowl forming on his handsome face. "I like them too. And...you can't chase me away." she blushed once again after admitting that.

_I almost did before. _His conscious reminded him. Looking at the happiness shining from her eyes he wanted to berate himself all over again for the pain he caused her months ago. He had almost lost something so precious over his stupid pride. Ichigo vowed that would never happen again.

As much as he didn't want to leave her, he knew he had to get home and return to his body. He had to hurry up and get ready before she joined him at his house or else Yuzu would have his head.

As he traveled over the rooftops towards his home, he tried to get rid of the large smile on his face. His father would already know he'd been gone all night; there was no need to give the old man something else to try and point out.

* * *

X x X x X x X x X x X x X

There were no sounds breaking the stillness of the night. No footsteps of the servants treading down the darkened hallways, the kitchen was absent of the clanging of pots, not even the grumbling of the elders was heard - Byakuya had nothing to blame his inability to meditate on.

With a glare to the useless candle sitting in front of him, he rose silently - snuffing the candle out as he did - and left the room. As he had no particular destination in mind, he padded softly down the halls, taking stock of the newly rebuilt walls of his home.

It had taken less than a week to rebuild all that was lost but the newly constructed home was nothing more than a reminder of his failure. For the first time in hundreds of years, the Kuchiki home had been invaded by an outsider. No other family head had allowed this tragedy to befall them - but him.

His aristocratic features twisted into a deep frown as he recalled the, unfortunately, correct remarks made by the elders of the family earlier. Not only had he went against the wishes of the family before, by marrying someone beneath his station and adopting her sister into the family, now he had allowed those under his protection to be harmed while in the safety of their own home. After Rukia's failed execution and the exposure of Aizen's plans, he had vowed to carryout the duties of the head to the letter.

He had failed that duty.

Added to the knowledge of his inability to do his job, he had the bothersome images of Rukia's injury running through his mind. Without the aide of her human friend, she would have been rendered an invalid for life. Cold rage burned in his gut as that thought raced across his mind. Who was this cowardly bastard that hid in the shadows and threatened his family? The information they received from Inoue Orihime and the Quincy was not helpful in identifying this culprit. The physical description was vague and could apply to any number of people but the abilities of his Zanpakuto were unique. Unfortunately, Byakuya could not remember ever meeting anyone nor hearing of anyone with those abilities.

He refused to allow the sigh to pass his lips as he came to a stop just inside the cover of the long porch that surrounded the house. A gentle breeze brushed the ebony hair from his face and he allowed the moonlight to ease his tension for a moment. While he didn't allow it to be known, he enjoyed the peacefulness of the night.

It was also one of Hisana's favorite times.

He remembered sitting with his lovely wife under the canopy of stars, simply talking or enjoying the beauty of nature in silence. No matter the troubles he had during the day, she would be waiting for him with a hot cup of tea and a smile, ready to enjoy their small moment of privacy. A smile threatened to leak onto his face as he thought of his delicate wife.

Like a bolt of lightening, his senses picked up the disturbance and his body hummed as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He forced himself to remain calm though the thrill of this particular battle had him itching to fight - much like the barbarian who annoyed him so. Byakuya was suddenly glad to have received so much information from the human healer. Her recant of the sensation one would feel when this shinigami approached was amazingly accurate. If not for her words, he might not have noticed the emptiness that suddenly seemed to surround the house.

Peering over the edge of the roof, he searched the darkened skies for sight of his prey. The moonlight aided him in his search for he soon saw the familiar sight of the nameless man's back hovering just above his home...right above the room Rukia called her own.

Again fury began boiling in his gut with the knowledge of this person's intentions. Without a thought to stop himself, he called forth Senbonzakura and watched in satisfaction as thousands of blade fragments whirled towards the man. Before Senbonzakura could surround the intruder, he flash stepped away prompting a curse to fall from Byakuya's lips.

The Kuchiki head took to the sky, quickly searching for the man as he reasoned that he would attempt to escape once again. His eyes caught sight of the rogue just as he was raising his menacing looking sword to cut along Byakuya's back. Senbonzakura flooded the area between the two, forming a shield and protecting the captain.

"Bastard." Byakuya heard the man growl. He wasted no time in talking but ordered his Senbonzakura to surround the man intent on hurting those under his protection. The cry of pain that came from the swirling mass of blades only slightly mollified his anger.

The petal like blades began to swell outwards with the mass of reiatsu that suddenly flooded the area. Byakuya heard the hoarse cry of the intruders 'bankai' just before his blades could be pushed away. The shinigami shot from the center of the madness, launching himself high away from the immediate danger, before settling himself – surprisingly – across from the stoic captain.

Bewilderment turned into a swift, uncontrollable rage as Byakuya stared into the man's face.

A face he was sure he had never seen before.

All of these attacks, every action made by this person in front of him was an obvious affront to the Kuchiki family. If someone had such a grievance against him and his own, shouldn't he know the person attacking him?

"Who are you?" Byakuya found himself reluctantly asking.

The nearly pitch black eyes of the slim man narrowed even further as an angry pulse thumped through his reiatsu. "For all you have done...for the lies you spread that destroyed all I had...I will enjoy every moment of pain I can squeeze from you."

A malicious grin spread across the unfamiliar face as Byakuya stood, seemingly unaffected, by his words. He briefly wondered if the person in front of him had suffered some injury to his mind. While he may withhold certain truths as they suited his needs, the head of the Kuchiki clan had no reason for lies. For that matter, he did not involve himself in the affairs of others. If it did not pertain to his clan, his squad, or his duties to the Gotei 13, then it did not concern him.

"Nii-sama!"

Though he didn't turn away from his attacker, he clearly heard Rukia's voice calling from below. He watched as the shinigami's eyes drifted to his adoptive sister's form. An evil joy erupted on the brown haired man's face.

Byakuya no longer cared to find out why he had targeted them.

Thousands of the tiny blades descended on the nameless man, the light reflecting off them sparkling like fireworks in the night sky. The unknown shinigami defended himself with his Zanpakuto as best he could while fleeing the deadly petals. He suddenly dipped in the sky and raced towards the unarmed form of Rukia.

Without a second's thought, Byakuya built his Senbonzakura up in front of her like a wall, forcing the man to shunpo away. Byakuya shifted his position above the house, coming to once again to stand across from the twisted man.

"I've always known you were strong." his raspy voice carried across the distance between them. Byakuya could feel the approaching reiatsu of several members of Soul Society. They were welcome to watch his fight but should any attempt to interfere he would not be pleasant about making them back away.

"I've trained for decades for this." he spat out, ignoring the blood trailing down his arm and back from Senbonzakura's viscous attacks. "I have forced myself to learn to be a patient man. Only the knowledge that I will be the one to cause your demise has kept me going and I will not be denied!"

Again, Byakuya said nothing to the deranged man across from him. Had this shinigami come at him alone, he could perhaps have been inclined to take him alive and allow the fourth squad to deal with his mental illness. For attacking like a coward, bombing a quiet household, causing the deaths of those not trained to fight, he would not allow this man to live any longer.

Again, those black eyes flitted to the ground before locking onto him once again. "I want you to know pain Kuchiki Byakuya." His hand ran along the now smooth blade he held in his grasp. Though the captain had clearly heard him call forth his bankai, he'd yet to see him use the changed sword for anything. He held himself back, awaiting to see what new power the shinigami possessed.

"I want you to know suffering." he pulled a thin, almost impossible to see, shard from the tip of his blade. "I want you to feel helplessness. I want you to feel everything you made my father feel you arrogant bastard." With a deft flick of his wrist, he sent the shard careening towards the clan leader.

Though it was nothing more than an instant, Byakuya saw the gleam of light reflected from the surface of the tiny piece of steel. An individual petal of Senbonzakura was larger, but he was experienced with tracking such small projectiles. Feeling no need to protect himself with his own Zanpakuto, he simply flash-stepped away, avoiding whatever plans the man held for him.

"I care not for your wants or demands but I will take your life in payment for the cowardly actions you've committed." He released his own sword, allowing it to phase into the ground as he called out his own bankai. As the twin rows of a thousand swords rose around him, the shinigami smirked in a knowing way. Byakuya allowed his reiatsu to rise, the blades of the swords around him pulsating in readiness to shatter and pierce the flesh of the one before them.

"Renji!"

The fear and desperation was apparent in her voice. He turned his head from the coward to search the ground below.

She knelt beside his red-haired subordinate, her small hands gripping his shoulders as she called his name over and over. Even from his position, Byakuya could see the white's of Renji's eyes, his slack jaw, and motionless figure.

"Enjoy being able to do nothing as everything you hold dear gets taken away from you."

By the time he turned his gaze back to the taunting voice behind him, there was nothing but empty space and that odd void of nothing surrounding the area.

He could hear the calls of the other shinigami now flooding into the area, quickly coming to his fukutaicho's side to assess his injuries. With a final glance to make sure all was in hand, he sped off, searching everywhere for the bastard that had dared to run from him once again.

* * *

X x X x X x X x X x X x X

He had prayed to simply make it in time.

Finishing all of the necessary paperwork that was his unfortunate duty had kept Renji awake much longer than he had wished tonight. The streets of Seireitei were quiet and empty as the darkness settled over everything like a snug blanket. A yawn escaped the tattooed man as he slowly traipsed the familiar roads, making his way to his room.

As he turned the corner past one of the more popular restaurants that had long since shut down for the night, the first prickles of awareness began tickling the back of his brain. It was nothing like he'd felt before. Instead of feeling the low hum of the various reiatsu around him, it was like a wall had suddenly built behind his back, blocking everything out.

His tawny eyes flicked to the skies, searching for anything that would explain this new sensation. It was several moments before his brain recalled the conversation with Ichigo and the others after Inoue's attack. As the new found knowledge settled in place, he rushed towards Rukia's house – praying he wasn't right.

The large, newly re-built, manor came into view and with it, Byakuya and an unknown man standing above it. He saw the flick of the man's wrist and the glimmer of light reflecting off whatever he threw that caused his captain to shunpo away.

What Byakuya didn't watch was the trajectory of the object that was now on a direct path with Rukia. She stood outside of the house, obviously roused from her bed by the disturbance as she was only in a yukata and without her sword. Her eyes were fearfully locked on her brother as she watched the battle – never noticing what was flying towards her.

Knowing the damage this shinigami had already caused – both in the human world and in Soul Society – Renji feared what the purpose of this seemingly harmless object held.

He pushed himself faster, willing himself to reach her before she could be hurt again.

He thanked the kami as he barreled into her, even as the small prick of pain between his shoulder blades told him he had not gotten out of the way fast enough. His large arms encircled her slender body, holding her tightly against his solid frame as they rolled across the unyielding ground.

There was no pain, so he wondered why the sounds around him were beginning to dull, why his limbs weren't responding to his commands any longer. Rukia's face above his own was distorted, and though he could see her lips moving, he could barely hear her cries.

Blackness rolled over him and yet, he was still thankful she was unhurt. The cold set in when all left him. His skin chilled in the absence of everything else. No sounds reached his ears, no wind caressed his skin, there was simply...nothing.

He didn't know how long he lay that way, waiting for whatever step would come at the end. He didn't bemoan this fate. He didn't cry out at the injustice nor beg for anything different. He simply accepted it, allowed the knowledge that it wasn't her to be his only companion in the darkness.

A thin point of light began seeping into the dark swamp that held him. It called him, taunted him to find his way out of the prison. Daring him to find his way back.

He struggled and cursed but he began moving. He staggered, and when that strength left him he began to crawl but he didn't stop. Every inch he moved was an inch closer to the light, another step out of the oppressing darkness. His muscles were shaking and his body covered in sweat by the time he finally felt the warmth of the sun hit his cold skin. Exhausted, he collapsed onto the wonderfully warm ground. The dirt that made his temporary bed could have been made of fine silk; anything but nothing was welcome to him now.

"Why Renji?"

The voice that had been engraved in his brain over 50 years ago was drenched in sadness and clawed at his chest worse than any wound. His head lolled to the side, rolling instinctively to her call and the sight that met him stopped his world.

That stark white yukata clad her body, standing out against the midnight black of her hair. The red restricting band was once again wound around her throat, it's ropes securing her arms tightly behind her back. The Sokyoku stand loomed behind her but she had yet to be secured to it. She stood in front of it, so tiny in comparison to the giant source of death shadowing her.

"Rukia, wha..."

"Why would you abandon me Renji?" Tears ran unchecked down her beautiful porcelain face.

What was going on? What happened while he was unconscious? Just how long had he been out? He tried to ask but his voice was stuck behind the lump gathering in his throat.

She took a trembling step towards him. "I thought we were friends Renji. I thought we meant something to each other." Her voice wavered and he felt his insides clench. "How could you turn on me like this?"

_I didn't. _That wasn't right. He had gone after her. _I didn't think it would turn out like this. _He had just known her brother would get her sentence reduced from the old man. Why would Byakuya let something happen to the precious sister he sought out himself? _I was only showing off a little when I came after you. I just wanted to show you how far I had come. _She had become a noble, had left him far behind in the memories of Rukongai. He had only wanted to show her he could catch up; that she would never be alone even if he had to fight his way to her.

A sob escaped her and those violet eyes latched onto his very soul. "Why won't you help me Renji?"

His mouth moved but words wouldn't form. All he could hear from his own body were the wheezes of his own breath trying to force out the words his whole being cried.

Byakuya walked up behind Rukia, his stoic face giving nothing away.

_Oh thank the kami. Taicho, Taicho get her out of that thing. _His mind cried out when his body couldn't. He could work on figuring out what was wrong with him now that his Taicho was here.

The long, slender fingers of the noble wrapped around her dainty throat. "Renji..." she croaked against the pressure.

_Taicho! No! What are you doing? _There was a coldness to the captain's eyes that had Renji's struggles to move and speak begin anew.

"Renji, help me. Please."

_I'm coming. _He searched...searched for any strength left within his abused body to get up and move. All he found were exhausted muscles and an empty reserve of reiatsu. _No, no...hang on, I'm coming. _Again, he pulled from everything he was to get to her. The tears spilling from her violet eyes called to him, the anguish he could hear in her cries resounded in his brain and his body bucked against it's own uselessness. All he could do, the only thing he could manage was to turn over, his face landing in the hard dirt beneath him.

"Renji..."

He raised his weary head and glared at the man who dared called himself her brother. _Don't you do this. Don't you dare do this again. Let her go! _When the cold hiss of steel met his ears he panicked and struggled all over again. _No, no, no, no...no! Rukia! _His mind, his heart, his soul were screaming against it all. Yet his voice made no sound, his body made no movement.

"Renji...why..."

Crimson ran down the pristine white of her yukata. Violet eyes began to dull, the tears no longer spilling from their corners. The soft pink of her lips spread as her jaw went slack. A single line of blood now ran down her chin.

He didn't even bother pulling his sword free; he simply left it in place as he dropped her lifeless body to the ground and walked away without another look back.

The world stopped moving.

His own heart stopped beating.

Everything clashed into each other as his soul shattered and his mind screamed only one word.

_**Rukia!**_

* * *

**X x X x X x X x X x X**

**A/N:**

**Well, I didn't make that month mark this time. Missed it by a few days but I tried! I swear! **

**I don't know how I can properly thank you all for the AMAZING reviews you leave but please know, from the bottom of my heart I thank you. As an author, there is nothing more rewarding than to see the story I write being received and enjoyed so much. **

**So thank you, arigato, gracias, xiexie, danke, gamsahabnida, obrigado, salamat, koszonom...if I missed a language please let me know. I'll be sure to include it in my next AN. **

**Also, I seemed to have acquired some new readers to which I, of course, am thrilled to have! Thank you all for your reviews as you've found the story and read up until now to catch up. I'm so so glad to hear everyone enjoying the story. (esp the last chapter. You dirty, dirty boys and girls you! ;)**

**Well, hope this is a little tie over for everyone as we all wait patiently together to see what Kubo-sensei has in store for us this week. I am so flipping excited to see where the new arc is going to go and, along with all of you I'm sure, praying for some Ichi/Hime-ness to begin. (prob asking too much there but hey...a girl can dream can't she?) **

**Thanks again, hope you enjoy the chapter, drop me a line and let me know what you think. **

**Til later!**


	24. Chapter 24

_Sure. It won't be the first time you've eaten with my family so why wouldn't it be? _

Famous last words of Kurosaki Ichigo.

Where in the hell had his mind been when he'd said that to Orihime earlier that morning? Obviously he was still too damned happy and not thinking straight, or else he would have sensed the impending disaster that was his family.

Things started out okay. There wasn't any shouting father or nagging sister bothering him when he 'woke up' in his bed. He was able to shower and change in relative peace. Even when he came down the stairs, his father did nothing more than lift a hand in greeting and say "Orihime-chan's coming over for lunch ya know?" All in all, a typical normal family interaction for a weekend morning.

He should have realized something was wrong then and there. Nothing with his family was ever 'normal'.

Ichigo dealt well with Orihime's entrance into the house. Yes, his father grabbed her in a bear hug the moment she crossed the threshold but she returned it just as enthusiastically and Isshin soon released her without incident. Yuzu chatted her up with a bright smile while still holding her spatula and wearing her apron. Karin just gave a cheery hi.

So far so good.

The moment they sat down to eat things went downhill quickly.

His dad made a big commotion about making sure Orihime sat next to him. His dark eyes twinkling with mischief had all of Ichigo's alarms going off. Yuzu was right in on the foray, reminding him that a good boyfriend would have held out her chair for her and at least hugged her when she came in.

He gnashed his teeth together to keep silent. This wasn't unexpected behavior from his family and it wasn't crossing any lines...yet. He could deal with it.

"You look wonderful today my dear Orihime-chan. You must have slept well last night?"

The chopsticks froze on the way to his mouth. Those warning bells were blaring now.

"Oh yes. I slept soundly; thank you for asking Kurosaki-san."

Those laughing brown eyes turned onto his son. "Ichigo was in a deep sleep himself. Why, even when I went into his room he didn't stir at all. You must have been exhausted last night son."

Ichigo translated that seemingly benign sentence into baka-oyaji. _I know you weren't in your body last night and I've got a pretty good idea of where you were. _He omitted the last of it since he didn't want to scar himself for life with his father's perverted thoughts.

Okay, so they were partially true but that didn't mean he was going to admit that at **all** to his old man.

He settled on glaring at his father and returning to his meal.

"So Orihime-san, are you and onii-chan doing anything today since it's not a school day?" Yuzu asked, her eyes practically begging for information on their relationship.

"Umm...I don't know Yuzu-chan. We haven't really talked about it," she responded with a shy shrug of her shoulders.

Yuzu turned a brittle smile on her brother. "Onii-chan, aren't you going to take Orihime-san out for a date?"

_Comfort level falling rapidly. _He kept his eyes focused on his food. "I don't know."

Her false smile left her face entirely, now changing into a disapproving frown. "Onii-chan, do you even take her out anywhere? We didn't even know you were actually going out until we overheard oto-san mention it." She was pointing her finger at a stunned Ichigo while her voice began to rise with her argument. "And you've been coming home on time for dinner most all of the time! I don't think you're treating Orihime-san right!"

He could only gape at his little sister and the agreeing nods his father gave for a moment. Ichigo's famous temper finally pushed aside the shock and embarrassment. "I treat her just fine dammit! And don't you want me here to eat dinner with you?"

"That's not the point onii-chan!"

"Umm...Yuzu-chan," Orihime interrupted as she saw her beloved's ears turning red. She didn't want him to become upset at his family, especially over her. "This shrimp is simply wonderful!" Yuzu's attention was brought back by the healer's large smile and words of praise. "I don't even miss my wasabi or red bean paste at all! You are an amazing cook, Yuzu-chan."

The girl had since stopped shouting at her brother and was quickly turning red under the older girl's praise. She sat back down slowly, her hands suddenly fiddling with her skirt as her embarrassed faced was downcast. "I-It's nothing s-special. Just something I whipped up real quick." she stammered into her plate.

"Really?" the busty healer exclaimed. "Wow, so you cook this good all the time? I've got to get some pointers from you Yuzu-chan!"

Karin was snickering at the fierce blush decorating her sister's face.

"Th...thank you." She abruptly stood from the table, gathering her dishes as she pushed the chair back. "I'm just gonna start on the dishes," her sentence trailed behind her as she hurried into the kitchen, leaving behind a stunned Orihime and a grinning Kurosaki family.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean to embarrass her so much."

"Don't worry about it Orihime-chan," Isshin grinned at her over his now empty plate. "She's just really happy."

Ichigo stood from his chair, pulling Orihime up with him. He couldn't take much more of his father's ridiculous smiling face. "Come on."

"Wait!" Isshin cried. "We're gonna have a bonding session after lunch!" The quick lunge he made for his son was easily side-stepped and Isshin crashed into the wall behind Ichigo.

"Lay off old man," he yelled to the moaning form of his father.

"Leave Ichi-nii alone before you really get him going," Karin added as she gathered up the rest of the plates. "And get up and help me take this to the kitchen!" A sharp kick to his back accompanied the order.

Ichigo ignored the commotion as he pulled Orihime behind him up the stairs. The teasing from his family was too much for him to deal with. He knew his father would be bad but he didn't expect so much to come from Yuzu as well. Ichigo suppressed a sigh as he opened the door to his room.

"Umm...Ichigo-kun? Are you sure it's okay to leave them like that?"

"Huh?" He slumped down onto his bed, propping himself up against the headboard as he closed his eyes and willed the tension away.

"I should help out with the dishes since Yuzu-chan took the time to make such a delicious lunch."

He did nothing more than crack one eye open. She still stood just inside the doorway, her body tensed to go back downstairs. "Just sit down Orihime. Don't worry about the dishes."

"But..."

His brow furrowed in displeasure and a small huff left her mouth. She closed the door behind her as she made her way into the room. It was hard, but she tried her best not to simply close her eyes and inhale his spicy scent that clung to every surface of the room. It was as if she was surrounded by him, blanketed in his unique scent she could pick out anywhere. As he was propped up in the bed, she took the chair in front of his desk. She still didn't want to seem to presumptuous about her place.

His eyes finally closed as she sat and the tension left his face. Orihime suppressed a giggle; he could be a little uptight sometimes.

Her gray eyes roamed his bedroom uninhibited while he rested. Though she had seen his room before, it felt different to her now. Perhaps not so...off limits. His pajamas were tossed into a clothes basket carelessly, along with the towel he'd used that morning. A CD player sat on the corner of the desk, the disk she'd given him for his birthday lying empty beside it. She smiled at that. Stacked in front of her were his school books and an open notebook. Though she didn't want to be accused of prying, she couldn't help but to assuage her curiosity and read the visible writing.

Ichigo's head lolled to the side, chocolate eyes opening to peer at Orihime's silent frame. He'd expected her to start talking about something, anything, once she'd finally came into the room but to his surprise she'd been silent. He wasn't expecting her to be nervous or embarrassed at this point so when the silence continued to meet his ears, he'd reluctantly searched her out.

She sat in his desk chair, hunched over his open notebook, reading the report he'd been attempting to finish for history class. Confusion settled in as he noticed the little smile developing on her face.

"What's funny in my report?"

She jumped a little at the unexpected sound of his voice. "Nothing's funny Ichigo-kun," her honest smile accompanied the reply. "I was just a little surprised, that's all."

"Surprised at what?"

Her face was once again going over his notes. "Hm? Oh, it's just that your report is so well done."

"Eh?"

"Your grammar is perfect, the report reads well – flowing easily between points for your topic, the sentence structure...it's just so well done."

He turned his eyes away from her when he felt his scowl forming. "I'm not an idiot ya know," he mumbled.

Storm gray eyes shot open wide as she realized how her compliment sounded. "That's not what I meant at all Ichigo-kun!" She rushed to the side of his bed, leaning over trying to see his averted face. "I never meant to imply you weren't smart or anything like that! It's just that your writing is really good...probably the best in the class and I wasn't...wait, that won't sound right." She mumbled the last part to herself as she tried to find the right words. Her feet shuffled back and forth as she failed to come up with anything that could take back her slip of the tongue. "I promise I wasn't trying to say anything like that Ichigo-kun!" she pleaded.

His hands suddenly grabbed her around the waist and drug her over his body. Ichigo was leaning over her, his lips twitching with amusement. She stared back at him for a moment before her lips parted on a gasp.

"You were teasing me again weren't you!"

He nodded while that slow smile worked it's way to his face.

Her cherry lips pouted. "That's not nice you know. I was feeling really bad about what I said."

His hands didn't move from her body as he settled himself more comfortably beside her. "I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"I'm starting to think you just like getting me worked up."

His eyes darkened, his face closing the distance between them. "Now that I do," though he meant it in a completely different way than what she was referring to.

There was no hesitance from either of them as they melded into a slow kiss. Ichigo took his time sampling her delicate lips before slipping into the warmth of her mouth. His hand slipped under the bright blouse she wore to begin rubbing the satin skin of her stomach. He caught her moan of pleasure with his mouth, not wanting the sound to draw anybody in his house.

Their hands began roaming each others bodies as passion ignited between them. Her fingers danced along his shoulder, slipping down to grip his strong arms. Her skirt rode up as her legs moved restlessly against his own. Calloused fingers teased the tender flesh of her thighs sending pleasurable shocks throughout her body.

"Orihime," his gruff voice whispered against her throat. A gasp was her only reply when he choose that moment to nip her collarbone. His head moved lower; kissing a path down her throat to her abundant chest. Though her clothes were still all in place, she felt the heated kiss he pressed against her breast shoot down her spine. Her fingers weaved through his hair, gently pressing him against her bosom.

The loud bang of the door slamming against the wall interrupted their interlude. Ichigo covered her body with his own while their surprised eyes watched the doorway.

"I told you no, Toshiro!" Karin's voice rang out. The confused teens on the bed could only see her hands covering his eyes while she pulled him back out of the door, though the young captain fought the retreat.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologized; her eyes were shut tight as she blindly groped around for the doorknob, slamming it shut behind a hasty retreat.

"What the hell?" Ichigo wondered aloud. He pushed himself off his still stunned and blushing girlfriend and made his way to the door. Ichigo paused for a moment when he heard their hushed voices on the other side.

"I freaking told you not to burst in the door like that!" Karin whispered heatedly.

"I have urgent business with Kurosaki. You've not right to interfere with this Karin."

Her exaggerated sigh was easily picked up to Ichigo's ears – Orihime's as well once she joined him near the door. "Whatever. You can tell him whatever this business of yours is but Orihime-san is in there with him so you can't just go busting in!"

"So? What does it matter if Inoue Orihime is with him?" Toshiro asked in confusion.

Well wasn't this just perfect? A man couldn't get a damn bit of privacy on this plane of existence or the next it seemed.

"**WHAT**?"

Ichigo shook his head in resignation at Toshiro's loud outburst. It was time to find out what the captain wanted with him. The sight that awaited him on the other side of the door was enough to cause his eye to begin twitching. Toshiro's disbelieving face – honestly was it _that_ hard to believe? - that held the slightest blush to his cheeks stared back at him. He felt Orihime shuffle behind him nervously as the silence stretched between them all.

"Ah..." Toshiro began. "M-My apologizes for intruding but this is an emergency." By the time the young captain finished his sentence he had most of his hard facade back in place. Though, he still was hesitant about meeting the young man's eyes.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked, his stern voice trying to remove any more of the embarrassment both he and Toshiro were experiencing at the moment.

"We'll speak in private." The captain brushed past Karin and entered Ichigo's room.

"Toshiro..."

"Karin," Ichigo interrupted, though his eyes softened towards his sister. "Go back to the living room, please. Make sure the old man and Yuzu don't come up, okay?"

He knew she hated being left out of everything, could see it in the fire that erupted in her eyes, but she finally gave him a nod and marched back down the stairs. The vizard let out yet another sigh as he closed his door and turned to face the shinigami; he would have to apologize to Karin later.

"What's going on Toshiro?"

"There was another attack last night," he said without preamble.

Ichigo nearly pounced on the smaller man in his surprise. "What? Where at?"

"Is everyone okay?" Orihime asked, her gray eyes alight with worry.

Toshiro leaned against the wall, his arms coming up to cross his chest. "The unknown shinigami attacked the Kuchiki residence last night. Nothing like before," he added in quickly at the distraught looks they both wore. "He attacked Kuchiki Byakuya himself."

"Is Byakuya-san alright?" Orihime asked.

"He chased the man throughout the night. At some point, they both crossed over into the human world. I've felt traces of Kuchiki's reiatsu nearby so I know he's still here. Abarai was wounded in the attack but the Fourth Squad is healing him."

Ichigo's fists clenched in anger. That bastard was back and had hurt his friend's once again. He stalked out of the room, ignoring the cries of the two left behind. When he returned, he held a struggling Kon within his grasp.

"What's the big idea Ichigo? What the hell do you w..." his demands were cut off when Ichigo shoved his fist down the toy's throat. He withdrew the tiny pill and made no hesitation as he quickly swallowed it. His soul separated from his body and he grasped Zangetsu from his back.

"Kon, watch over the girls," he said over his shoulder as he made his way to the window.

"Ichigo-kun?"

"I'll be back Orihime." With that, he leapt from the window in pursuit of the bastard who dared to continue attacking his friends.

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She paused, leaning against the cooling brick of the building as she struggled for breath. It really wasn't fair sometimes – how fast he was. Orihime had dashed out of the house immediately after Ichigo vaulted from the room; Toshiro leaving after him. She had been deterred by Karin, but only briefly. She'd left the poor girl with no more than a warning to stay inside for now and rushed through the streets of Karakura, desperately searching for some sign of Ichigo's reiatsu.

So far, she'd been unsuccessful. The young woman had ran for miles around the busy town's streets but came up with nothing. There was no sign of Ichigo, Toshiro, or Byakuya anywhere she had searched. She rested her head against the wall while she tried to think of what to do next. There was no way she was just going to wait inside her apartment while Ichigo searched for this evil man. Everyone he had attacked so far had suffered great pain at his hands.

She said a quick prayer for Renji's safety at that thought.

Should she go see Urahara-san about getting into Soul Society and helping the Fourth Squad heal Renji? She was worried about her friend but she didn't want Unohana-san and the others to think she was butting in or think they were incapable of doing their job. Besides, what if someone was injured on this side? There wasn't anyone left here to help them if they got hurt.

Orihime reluctantly pulled away from the wall and continued her search at a more sedate pace. She relaxed her mind, allowing her senses to open fully and search for any signs of her friends – or the man they were hunting. This was all she could do for the moment. She understood how upset Ichigo was over this person's attacks on their friends but she still wished he would let her help out more often.

A familiar reiatsu finally caught her attention and she dashed off down the nearest street to meet up with them. Her long hair whipped behind her as she ran full out towards their location. In a few moments, she finally saw his dark hair. The moment she noticed him, their reiatsu became clear to her as well.

"Ishida-kun!" she called.

The Quincy turned to acknowledge her as she made her way to his side. He scanned her body quickly, making sure there were no injuries to her person.

"Inoue-san, what are you doing out here?"

"I've been looking everywhere for Ichigo-kun and the others." she huffed.

His head tilted slight towards an area in front of them. "Well, you found him then."

Ichigo stood with Byakuya, arguing about something neither of them could hear at the moment. Though she was still panting, her smile came naturally as neither he nor Byakuya appeared hurt.

"I met up with Hitsugaya-san a little while ago and he updated me on the situation." Ishida calmly stated.

"I'm glad to see no one is hurt."

"It doesn't appear that way, though Byakuya does not look happy. I take it to mean he has not located the unknown shinigami as of yet."

She murmured an agreement and continued to watch the pair. Toshiro suddenly appeared at her side, startling her out of her musings.

"There's been no further sign of him here. We should get back to Soul Society."

"Umm...do you think I could maybe go with you?" Orihime asked. "I'd like to see if there's anything I can do to help Abarai-kun."

The white haired man pondered her request for a moment before inclining his head briefly. "That should be fine. I'm sure the Fourth Squad would appreciate the help. Besides, it's not as if this doesn't involve you humans as well."

She smiled in thanks and looked back for Ichigo as Toshiro prepared a senkaimon. The vizard was making his way towards them, deliberately walking behind Byakuya with a deep scowl covering his face. She instinctively stepped out of the way when the larger captain strode past; his very aura screamed of his displeasure.

"What's going on?" she asked Ichigo when he made it to her.

He glared at the man's back and secured Zangetsu. "He's just pissed off and taking it out on everyone around," he mumbled and stepped forward into the open portal.

Orihime followed behind them all in the dangai. The four men in front of her gave off an air of frustration that she was familiar with herself. Being unable to protect those precious to you left one with a dreadful feeling that nothing else would take away. This man who had somehow managed to elude them all was making the people she held dear suffer. There had to be someway to catch him.

The doors to the senkaimon were beginning to close when that cold feeling slipped over her. The swish of his clothing rang in her ears and she caught the flicker of light off his blade. Her mouth opened to scream when she saw his hand reach for her.

"Ich...

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Was this how Ichigo had felt when he sat in that same chair, day after day, just willing her eyes to open?

It hadn't been much more than 12 hours for her and already she felt as if she couldn't take the wait any longer.

Renji lay on a cot in one of the treatment rooms – the golden barrier of a healing kido spell surrounding him as they tried to cure whatever that rogue man had done to him. The only movement he'd made since she rolled him over last night was to close his eyes.

Why?

Why did this have to happen?

Why did he save her yet again?

She cursed her own stupidity; she'd never even known she was in danger. Had he not protected her, she would have been the one lying in this bed. Rukia held back her tears as she sat watching them work to heal her friend. Her nii-sama hadn't stayed to help Renji; he'd left in pursuit of the bastard who'd done this. She only prayed he was able to catch the man. If he hadn't...

How much more pain would they all have to suffer through? Why was he even doing this? Who was this man?

So many questions remained unanswered and that more than anything frustrated her. It was as if they had to continue to try and protect themselves in the black of night without being able to see or hear their opponent.

"I think this has done it." Isane's hopeful voice reached her ears. Rukia's violet eyes studied the face of the Fourth Squad lieutenant before fixating on Renji's face.

The seconds seemed to drag on for eternity as she watched his face – hoping, praying for any sign of him waking. The first thing she saw was his eyes moving behind the closed lids. His lip twitched and his chest rose in a greater breath than any other he'd taken. Rukia was on her knees, hands pressing against the barrier while she muttered unknowingly, "please, please."

When his eyes opened fully, the relieved sound she made was somewhere in between a laugh and a sob. It took another moment for him to move his body but she saw the muscles jumping in preparation. Isane lowered the barrier and Rukia leaned over to face him completely.

"Renji? Renji, can you hear me?"

His dark eyes looked almost lifeless as he stared back at her. A spark flickered in their depths when he recognized her. A trembling hand lifted to frame her face.

Rukia's own eyes were wide in shock and some embarrassment from the familiar touch. She refused to look over to see what Isane thought of the situation.

"Rukia?" he whispered. "Is that really you?"

The awe held in his voice touched something deep within her. She frowned a bit, just to help herself get past the lump in her throat. "Baka. Of course it's me."

Without warning, the large man sat up in the bed, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her to his chest. She floundered for a moment, caught off guard by his actions.

"Renji...what are you doing?" she hissed.

His head was buried in the crook of her neck. She could feel the hot puffs of his breath. The trembling of his arms shocked her, the gentle yet unyielding grip he had her in was unexpected; but the first drop she felt hit her skin scared her.

What the hell happened to him?

"Rukia."

The pain in his hushed voice cut through her. Rukia's arms came up to hold him just as tightly. She felt so tiny at that moment – lost in his larger frame.

"Leave us."

Her voice gave no room for refusal though she spoke to a woman in a higher position than she was.

Whatever happened, whatever he had went through, she wouldn't allow anyone other than herself to see him in this state.

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"_**Let me out Ichigo." **_

He had never been more tempted to give in to that voice as he was at this moment. Zangetsu trembled in his hand with the power he was flooding into him.

They stood apart from that bastard, everyone's weapon drawn and ready to attack - except for the shield he used to deter them.

Orihime.

The nameless shinigami had his hand wrapped around her delicate throat, his body standing fully behind hers as he peered around the mass of auburn hair. Ichigo could see the sick grin that twisted his face at the plight they were in.

"What's wrong shinigami?" The rouge taunted in that raspy voice of his. "Come at me."

Ichigo wanted nothing more than to do that but the man's other hand held his smooth zanpakuto against her throat. Rage coursed through him and he fought to stay under control of his emotions. Losing his temper now would only put her in danger.

"Let me guess, you were taking the healer here to help out your fukutaicho, hmm?"

"Let go of her." Ichigo demanded.

The rogue laughed and stepped back further, dragging Orihime with him. The senkaimon had yet to close and they were but a step away from the world of the living once more.

"I don't think I'll do that just yet," he replied. "I warned you all, didn't I? I told you to break off ties with the Kuchiki clan if you didn't want to get hurt, but it doesn't look like you took my advice." The hand clasped around her throat moved away to grasp the other end of his sword. He drug the sharp blade across her neck, not quite cutting the skin but teasing her flesh with a promise of pain.

"Release that woman now." Toshiro demanded, Hyourinmaru pointed in his direction. "You are under arrest."

The man threw his head back and laughed. Orihime leaned back against him, putting her neck as far as she could away from the blade that shook with his laughter.

"Under arrest? Just what I'd expect a child to say. Do you have no grasp of the situation yet, boy?" His eyes spoke of a confidence that had the men wary. He took yet another step back, one foot now resting outside the senkaimon. "All of this you bring upon yourselves."

His fingers withdrew a shard from the tip of the sword still resting against Orihime's neck and quickly plunged it into her shoulder. As she cried out in pain, he pushed her forward into the men coming for him. The senkaimon closed as soon as he fled the doorway, sealing off their efforts to give chase.

"Damn it!" Ichigo cursed, drawing the now unconscious Orihime into his arms. "What the fuck did he do to her?"

Toshiro took in her slumped form with a grave face. "We must get to the Fourth's barracks quickly."

Ichigo heard Byakuya mutter an expletive while he stared at the area the senkaimon just stood. Now, only the seemingly endless hallway of the dangai greeted them. He had no time to give the captain any words of encouragement. Orihime was cradled in his arms while he ran full out towards Soul Society.

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**A/N:**

**Je ne peux croire que j'ai oublie de vous dire merci en francais! Je suis tellement desole! Merci de me rappeler klrob. **

**I didn't even realize until after I posted the last chapter that I've been working on this story for more than a year now. Wow! I never thought I'd be writing this for so long when I started out. Also, this is my longest fic (with this chapter almost at 140,000 words) and my most reviewed fic! Thanks so much everyone for following along with me for so long. We've still got a ways to go so this isn't one of those end of the story speeches; I just noticed all those points and couldn't help but bring 'em out. **

**Sooooo...about that new arc...**

**I died a little. **

**It was so bad ass that I fan-girled until I died. **

**I couldn't help it! Esp that pic with the four of them standing side by side to take out the hollows! OMG, freaking loved it! And geez...why does Kubo-sensei have to go and make Ishida get hotter? Now come on, you guys gotta admit Ishida has definitely risen in the hotness and awesomeness departments. Ichigo still rocks hardest but a girls gotta give credit where it's due. **

**:)**

**Okay, I'll shut up. Review please!**


	25. Chapter 25

No matter how long she walked nor often she cried out for anyone to answer her, the only things that met her were silence and darkness.

Time was unending as she slowly walked the endless room. Fear had already settled deep within her - though nothing had shone itself yet. Not even the echo of her own voice could be heard in this vast emptiness. Nothing other than her own breathing was there to keep her company.

The last thing she remembered before awakening to this hollow torture was Ichigo's face pinched in both anger and fear while he called out to her.

Had she died then?

Had the nameless man slit her throat without her even being aware? The unanswered questions spun round her head but she never stopped moving. There was a feeling telling her that if she stopped, it would truly be the end.

She held her arms out in front of her as she walked, praying to come in contact with anything at this point, yet they met nothing but air. There had to be a way out of this hell. She had to get back to Ichigo and the others. There was still too much yet she had to do.

Suddenly, her hand met a solid surface directly in front of her. She recoiled her hand almost instantly, afraid of what she had found. When nothing rushed at her or spoke back in anger, she reached out once again - slowly easing her fingers towards the first thing she'd found other than herself in this vast darkness. Her hand ran over the rough surface, fingers feeling the hard texture that didn't give way to their pressure. It felt almost like...wood.

Orihime placed both hands on the object in front of her, not fearful anymore of retaliation from touching it. As her hands glided over the surface, she felt another object protruding around the height of her waist. It took only a moment to realize it was a knob.

She had found a door!

With a hopeful prayer, she turned the knob – thanking every kami when it opened without hesitation. She had to shield her eyes when she stepped into the small room. When she'd adjusted to the light, she found herself in the living room of a small apartment. What little light filtered in through the windows told her it was night.

The furnishings were sparse. A small, dingy sofa sat in the middle of the room – it's cushions threadbare around the edges. Muffled noises came from the TV that sat across from it. A kitchen area was in the corner of the room. She could smell the stench of dirty dishes piled along the counter. The old table was covered in empty bottles and full ashtrays. When the stale smell of liquor hit her nose, she felt the need to gag.

For some reason it felt...familiar.

A crash in the rear of the apartment drew her attention to the door on the opposite side of the room. Angry voices shouted at each other through the thin walls.

"Fuck off! I told you I'm just here to change clothes."

"Ungrateful bastard, I should have thrown your shit away already."

"Go ahead, not like any of it's worth anything. I wouldn't keep a damn thing in this shit hole that I liked."

"You got a mouth on you now boy. You think I can't take you?"

"Try it you old bastard. I'll knock your ass down like I've down a million times in the past."

Orihime stepped back, fearful of the people shouting on the other side of that wall. She turned to leave only to discover the door that she'd entered through was no longer there. Her hands ran over the solid wall in disbelief.

She was stuck here.

Another crash, this time closer, had her spinning back around and plastering herself to the wall. The door slammed against the wall and a body came flying out of it. She couldn't see the groaning figure on the floor, as he was hidden behind the couch, but the angry looking man filling the doorway made her heart clench painfully.

His hair was tied back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck. Three piercings ran down his left ear and one went through his eyebrow. The black shirt he wore had a crude gesture on it that she quickly looked away from. Chains hung from the belt loops on his torn up jeans. Nothing about this man was the same, but the face was one she saw even in her dreams. Her lips trembled and it was so hard to force the word out.

"O...on...onii-chan?"

Wild, violent eyes cut to her and she flinched in the anger they held.

"What the fuck you want?"

No, no...there was no way this man could be her onii-chan, but there was no way she could deny that face. She didn't even question how he was standing there in front of her but why he had changed so much.

She stared in shocked silence at him and he took offense to it. His loud boot steps rang across the dirty floors as he made his way to her. An involuntary cry left her lips when he bent close to her face.

"I asked you a fucking question little girl," though the cigarette smoke clinging to his body was thick, it couldn't hide the smell she was so familiar with. "What the hell do you want?"

She dared to look into the familiar yet foreign eyes she loved so much. The undisguised hatred that flowed from them cut to her soul.

"N...nothing." she managed to whisper.

His lips curled back over his teeth and she feared he would lash out at her physically. "Then don't fucking bother me." he finally spat. He pulled away from her and made his way to the front door. "You're stupid as hell, ya know that?"

She could only look at him in question.

"If you had any brains at all you'd get the fuck outta here. I guess you like the bullshit they put you through since you stick around. Tch, don't come crying to me for help ya dumb bitch." With that, he walked out of the dingy room, slamming the door behind him.

Orihime folded on herself as Sora left her in the apartment.

She knew now.

She knew where she was.

The man on the floor grasped hold of the couch and pulled himself upright. His hands held firm to the back of it to right himself as he swayed when he stood. The glazed over look in his eyes and the stench clinging to him told her he was drunk. Her fingers dug into the wall behind her, grasping for purchase as her mind whirled with the insanity of it all.

Her beloved, gentle brother was no where to be found. Instead, the violent, angry man that was her brother here just left her in this hell of a house. Her knees began to shake as the frightful reality she was thrown into crashed down in her mind.

Sora had never spoken too much about their parents. What little she did know was frightening enough. She knew her father had been an abusive alcoholic and her mother sold her body to any man willing to pay the price. Sora had once told her he was afraid they would one day kill her so he saved what little money he could and took her away from that place the moment he graduated high school.

And now she was back.

"You stupid bitch...what the fuck are ya looking at?" the man she knew was her father screamed at her. Orihime's knees shook in terror and her fingers dug into the wall.

"N...nothing," she stammered.

He grasped the first thing he could get his fingers around – which happened to be a lamp sitting on the rickety table next to the sofa. He hurled the lamp at her, stumbling a bit as he did. Orihime covered her head and shrieked as the lamp crashed against the wall next to her. The fragile porcelain shattered, pelting her with debris.

"What the fuck did you say?" he screamed again.

"Nothing! I'm sorry!" she cried out, not releasing her head from its protective cocoon.

"Damn right," he muttered and staggered over to the filthy kitchen table. He threw his body into the ragged chair; she was surprised it didn't collapse beneath him. "Stupid fucker. That dumb ass better not come back here if he knows what's good for 'em." His hand lifted each bottle littering the table top. Finding one not completely empty, he raised it to his split lip. He didn't bother wiping away the liquor that dribbled down his chin.

The front door of the apartment opened with a creak of its rusty hinges. Orihime was slow to turn her head towards the sound – afraid of what she would find.

"Was that the older one I just passed on the street?" a husky voice lacking any note of concern asked.

Orihime finally turned her gaze towards the female voice and felt her legs give way beneath her. She slid down the wall, fingertips grazing painfully against the wood as her body crumpled onto itself.

The man at the table had the same dark coloring as her brother did. Jet black hair, dark eyes, similar height...she couldn't immediately see anything physically that she shared with him.

This woman at the door...it was astonishing.

The bright hair, gray eyes, the small nose that turned up slightly, full lips, even the shape of her body was similar. There was no way Orihime could deny this person was her mother.

Perhaps that's why it caused her so much pain.

The large chest, that she'd obviously inherited, was put on display for everyone around. The young healer was embarrassed just looking at the older woman; how were her nipples not showing? Her tight skirt covered only the very top of her thighs and Orihime knew if she bent over, even the smallest bit, that her bottom would be shown to anyone behind her. The gray eyes that were only slightly darker than her own were devoid of any emotion. She barely gave a cursory glance around the untidy room as she made her way to the kitchen cabinet. Hands decorated with brightly tipped nails pulled out an unopened bottle of whiskey and she drank straight from the container.

The lines filling the older woman's face were poorly covered in thick make-up. She kicked off the high heels covering her feet, not bothering to point them in any general direction as the flew off.

"Yeah, it was Sora's sorry ass."

"What was he here for?" Orihime wondered why she even bothered asking; nothing in her face showed she cared about the answer.

The man took a long drink from the nearly empty bottle. "Some of his shit he leaves lying around here."

"Where's the other one?"

"Over there, huddled on the floor like a damn dog."

She lit a cigarette and took a long drag as she stared at Orihime. A cruel, satisfied smile came to her weathered face. "Good. Had to make sure he didn't take her."

"Why would he bother?"

"Probably to try and beat us to the money she's gonna make us."

The drunken haze seemed to clear slightly from his eyes as he turned to her. He gave a lusty glance to her body, settling his large hand on her barely covered ass. "Oh yeah? D'ya finally find a decent buyer?"

"Yep. Some big shot lawyer took one look at her picture and offered for her."

His hands slipped under the short skirt, squeezing her flesh as the thought of money filled his mind. "How much?"

She blew the smoke out slowly as her grin widened. "A few hundred thousand yen."

He took a greedy gulp from the bottle he held, emptying it in the process. "Damn...this is gonna be good."

"Hell yeah it is." She turned her eyes, now glistening with thoughts of her soon to be had prize, on Orihime. The girl still sat on the floor, hands wrapped around her knees as she watched the pair of adults. "I have to wonder though," she said and walked over to the frightened girl. "Have you went ahead and messed everything up for me?"

Orihime felt herself begin to shake as the woman leaned down, putting her face just in front of her own. The uncaring eyes on the too familiar face that stared back at her had her lip trembling.

"Well, have you deliberately fucked things up for me Orihime?"

"I...I don't understand," she managed to say.

The brightly painted nails brushed her hair back gently as her face twisted into a malicious picture before her. "Have you been fucking anyone?"

"Wh...what?" Orihime whispered in astonishment.

Her mother's hand gripped her hair tightly and yanked it back, producing a yelp from the girl. "I asked you if you've been spreading your legs for anyone."

"N...No! No, I swear I haven't!"

The older woman smiled cruelly again, not releasing the painful grip on Orihime's hair. "Good girl. Make sure you keep it that way too. I've been looking too long for someone to come off enough money for your pathetic ass for you to mess this up for me."

Orihime tried to hold back the tears of pain and fear that burned her eyes. The stench of cigarettes and liquor overwhelmed her and the hateful eyes both of these people had were too much for her heart to bear. Were they selling her to someone? Could parents even be that cruel to their child?

"You're finally gonna pay me back for the years of wasting money for food and clothes on your ass."

"And lis'ening to your mouth all the time," he slurred from his chair.

The hand yanked her hair forward once again – her free hand coming up to drag the false nails down her face. "That virgin pussy of yours is gonna bring me a nice, fat sum."

The woman chuckled at the abhorrent look that spread across Orihime's face. "Now Orihime, you know what'll happen if you loose that precious commodity of yours don't you? Do you really want him to have to beat some sense back into you?"

Her father laughed at the prospect. She shuddered in fear and nodded her head the best she could. Her mother patted her face none to softly and went back over to the table, taking her bottle back from the drunk man and indulging herself in it's contents.

Orihime scooted herself along the dirty floor, trying her hardest not to make a sound as she eased herself into the corner. The dingy curtains trailing the floor bunched around her and she made herself as small as possible in the corner of the room. Her face remained turned towards the wall, eyes shut tight and she welcomed the darkness. Her hands flew up to cover her ears and she desperately tried to block the amours sounds coming from across the room.

Her virginity was to be sold? Her own mother was setting her up to be raped and was even threatening her not to have sex before then?

How could this be real? How could anybody be like this?

Her onii-chan saved her many times over by taking her away from this place. She wanted him now more than ever but the man she'd seen earlier cared nothing for her. He was just as violent and uncaring as these people were.

There was no help for her here. No one would be coming to save her.

The dingy walls of this rank apartment had become her new hell.

* * *

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Ishida sat silently by the window in the Fourth Squad's healing room. As much as he wanted to help in some way, he knew he had no knowledge that would be helpful to his friend.

Orihime lay underneath the glowing yellow kido box of Unohana-taicho. Her face remained impassive, as if she were merely sleeping. However, after speaking with Renji, he knew that wasn't the case.

The tattooed man wouldn't talk too much about what he went through while under the influence of the shinigami's false coma. Under that knowledge alone, Ishida knew Orihime had to be suffering. Physically, she seemed fine. Other than a slightly slower pulse and breathing pattern, there were no obvious injuries to her person. However, she had yet to awaken from her unconscious state.

Ichigo was sitting quietly beside the young healer...a far cry from his earlier actions.

The vizard had handled himself well – in the beginning. He was as calm as Ishida supposed he could be as they rushed into the Healer's domain, Orihime nestled in Ichigo's arms. Unohana-taicho was quick to order him to lay her down and she began trying to heal her. Ichigo watched the process with fearful eyes, his hands lying atop the box separating them. When nearly a half hour went by with no changes in her condition, he lost his temper.

Ishida had struggled to get his friend to calm down from a state he'd  
never even imagined to see the fighter in. He could feel the fear  
fueling the violent outburst from the vizard and he could only offer  
words of hope and encouragement that fell on deaf ears. Other members  
of the Fourth Squad had arrived and threatened to remove him from the  
room if he didn't stop yelling...

Ichigo let out several choice obscenities, ending his loud and long tirade by pulling out his Zanpakuto and daring them to make him leave.

From the wild look in Ichigo's eyes, Ishida feared the substitute would actually wind up hurting someone in his fearful grief.

Ishida, Renji, and Rukia forced him into the corner of the room and spoke to him for a long while before he could calm down again. Only after he heard of how Renji was healed – and the time it took them to do it – was he able to walk back to her side and sit down without further incident.

Several hours had passed since then without any changes to her condition. Ishida remained hopeful since he knew the full detail of Renji's healing, but that didn't stop the frustration he felt at not being able to do anything.

After they'd arrived in Soul Society, Byakuya had been called to the Commander's office to report on his fruitless search. A squad had already been dispatched to the world of the living to search for the man who'd eluded them once again. Thanks to Hitsugaya-taicho, Ishida had been able to contact Urahara-san and let him know the situation. He would inform Sado-kun as well so as to be on alert.

So far, the shinigami had not been spotted again.

"Orihime!"

Ishida sprang from his chair as Ichigo's hopeful voice filled the room. All their friends surround her bed, watching in anticipation as her eye-lids began fluttering. The kido box was lowered and Ichigo latched onto her hand – squeezing it gently, begging her to open her eyes.

A smile of relief spread across his face at the first sign of her beautiful gray orbs.

Those eyes quickly flew open in fright and she struggled to scoot herself away from the crowd of people around her.

"Don't...please..." her terrified voice whimpered. "I'm sorry, just please...don't..."

"Orihime?" Ichigo struggled to keep himself from pulling her into his chest. He was so relieved to have her awake once more but the fear radiating from her had him almost panicking to help her. "Orihime, tell me what's wrong. What happened?"

She shirked back from his hands as she continued to inch away from her friends. "Please...please don't."

Renji brushed Ichigo's hands away – ignoring the offending glare he was sent – and grabbed her shoulders. Though she struggled against him, he held her tight and forced her to look at him. "It's alright Inoue. It wasn't real, it's over."

Tears slipped down her pale cheeks as she stared back at him. "I...I don't..."

"It was just a dream Inoue. None of it was real." Renji spoke softly to the frightened woman, desperately trying to convey his sincerity in the words. "You're alright. It wasn't real."

"It...it wasn't?" her tremulous voice asked.

"No. Whatever you saw, whatever you went through, it was only a dream."

Though her tears began falling, she still didn't look as if she  
believed she was free from whatever hell she'd been placed in. She was  
still curled on herself, her body reminding him of a small, terrified  
animal in captivity.

Her eyes darted around the room, landing on their group of friends that stood just behind them with anxious looks. As she took in the sights of the shinigami in the room, the tension began leaving her muscles. Reality came crashing back reminding her that Sora was dead and she didn't have to live in fear of her parents.

Relief flooded her body but couldn't push away the last vestiges of fear that had held her for so long. Her breath hitched and her hands flew to cover her face as great sobs began pouring from her. Orihime wasn't sure if he was able to actually hear the broken cry of his name but, none-the-less, Ichigo quickly had her wrapped in his warm embrace. She clung to his body as her lifeline; his strong arms encircling her and protecting her from anything around. His spicy scent filled her head and only made her cry harder as she knew she was now safe. She felt him walking away from the murmur of voices behind them but couldn't be bothered to lift her head and see where they were going.

It didn't matter; as long as she was in his arms she would be alright.

* * *

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The candle light bounced off the walls of the darkened hallway giving the ominous shadows life as they danced along side of him. His old age had allowed him to bear witness to many things - and learn from every one of them. Though his movements were slow down the long corridor, his sharp mind continued to reflect over all he'd seen and heard in the past few weeks.

Whoever was chosen to be the clan head had to devote their life to providing guidance and protection for every member of the clan. There were strict rules they must always follow and they must never show any weakness. Though Byakuya had small lapses in his judgment from the rest of the elders view point, he'd been a good leader. The young man was a powerful captain of the Gotei 13, a fair ruler, and a strong figurehead for the people of their clan.

Their clan had been brought into this battle by the coward who refused to meet him face to face. He could see the stress Byakuya was under lately, though as a good leader, he'd not allowed it to effect his duties in anyway. The words the unknown shinigami had spoken to the humans had been relayed to each of the elders, but they were meaningless to them as well.

True, they had been cold to some people - but in words only. There was nothing he could remember that the Kuchiki clan could have done to warrant such a hateful vengeance against them. When the attacks were no longer just against the clan members themselves, but to those considered close to Byakuya - or the little sister he'd adopted into the clan - the thought that this may be a personal vendetta against their leader sprang to life. Byakuya had carried out his orders sent down by the Captain Commander time and time again. Perhaps someone he'd fought against before had come back to gain their revenge?

The sounds of battle had awoken him the previous night. He moved as quickly as he could, cursing when he stumped his toes on the leg of the nightstand. A small crowd had already gathered on the grounds of the manor by the time he was able to make his way outside. He searched the skies for the parties involved, and though his eyesight wasn't too good, he was able to make out Byakuya's figure just above them. The tight line of his lips and narrowing of his eyes told the elder the man across from him was the same who'd been attacking them all this time.

He took a few steps closer to the pair; his eyes never leaving the unknown man's face. Unfortunately, it wasn't too long before Abarai was wounded and the shinigami was leaving the area once again. Byakuya followed closely behind.

All through that next day, the elder had a vague sense of familiarity about this shinigami that he couldn't shake. Try as he might, he couldn't remember a name or place that fit the man who'd stood across from his clan's head. He ignored the feeling, knowing that if he dwelled on it he would never arrive at the answer he wanted.

That was why he was now letting himself into the records room at the back of the manor during the middle of the night. He'd been just about to fall asleep when he remembered why that face was familiar to him. His weathered fingers trailed the numerous books that filled the shelves along the wall. He by-passed many, many volumes until he found the year he was searching for. As he turned the pages, he though back to that day once again.

200 years ago, he'd been a much more active member of the clan's council. If the next potential head of the clan was under going scrutiny for any action - even ones not involving the clan directly - it was his job to oversee the event. He could now clearly recall sitting amongst the members of central 46 as they heard Byakuya's testimony of that day.

He removed the picture that was clipped to the particular page he was looking for. As he read through the long and very detailed recount of that day he knew he'd found the evidence he was looking for to back up his memories.

The elder tucked the book under his arm and made his way back down the dark corridor. The sun would be rising soon and he had much to prepare.

* * *

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**A/N:**

**I've been up for nearly 36 hours now and just realized I had not posted the chapter I finished editing like 3 days ago. So, sorry for the rather short and uninteresting AN but I'm so going to crash now. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter! And pretty please review! It'll be a great treat for when I wake up! :)**


	26. Chapter 26

Ichigo cast a last look at Ishida as the doors to the senkaimon closed. Though he knew his friend didn't particularly like being left alone in Soul Society with nothing but shinigami surrounding him, he trusted Ishida to get the information he wanted before he left. The unknown attacker was no where to be found at the moment and Byakuya had yet to return from the captain commander's rooms. Ichigo couldn't afford to wait around so he left Ishida to gather any new information to be had before he returned to the world of the living.

He shifted his hold on the woman in his arms as he made his way through the dangai. He ignored the presence of the two shinigami accompanying him back home and focused on Orihime alone.

Though her sobs had quieted from the soulful cries she spent earlier, her tears continued to trickle down his neck. The strength with which she held onto him was great but he could feel her arms trembling. The only word she'd yet to utter was his name before he lifted her into his arms. He lowered his head slightly, resting his lips against the silky hair hiding her ear from him.

"We'll be home soon Orihime."

She nodded her head against his shoulder in response to his whispered words. He was simply glad to have gotten a reaction from her at all.

The senkaimon opened just in front of his house. Ichigo waited a moment to allow one of the shinigami with him to check the surrounding area. When he reported no one to be about, Ichigo hurried to his front door – absently thanking the two who'd escorted him before the doors closed. While he wanted nothing more than to go straight to her empty apartment, he needed to get back into his body before his sisters became worried over his slumped form.

Isshin rounded the corner of the hallway as Ichigo was preparing to climb the stairs. He forestalled their usual greetings when he saw the state of his son's girlfriend in his arms.

"What happened?" Isshin's serious tone carried softly across the hall.

Ichigo shook his head briefly before answering. "She's okay." At his father's look of disbelief, Ichigo elaborated. "She's not physically hurt. I'll be over at her house if you need anything."

Isshin nodded his head in understanding and stepped back to let his son go upstairs. However, this time is was Orihime that stopped his progress.

"Let me down Ichigo-kun."

Though her words were whispered through a hoarse voice, both men heard her request. "It's okay Orihime. I'm just going to get my body."

"I know, but you can let me down now. I'll wait here for you."

He was reluctant to do so but released her as she asked. He held onto her a moment longer when her feet were firmly on the ground to make sure she could stand on her own. She kept her eyes trained on the floor and clutched her arms to her body as he let her go.

"I'll be right back and we'll leave okay? Dad, stay with her 'til I get back."

Isshin's experienced eyes traveled over her body as soon as his son left. Orihime made no attempt to speak with him but kept herself as small as possible against the wall. A fine tremble would wrack her body now and again and she nibbled on her lip repeatedly. As much as he wanted to, he knew it wasn't a good idea to approach her. Whatever happened to his son's girlfriend, she seemed to be only comfortable with him at the moment. He felt another pang of sadness for this young woman who'd already been through so much.

Her eyes darted nervously to the staircase as the sound of Ichigo's rushed footsteps echoed in the room.

"You okay?" he asked Orihime once he was back by her side. At the nod of her head, he lightly grasped onto her hand and began leading her to the door. "Later oyaji." His father's understanding eyes met his as he left.

Orihime was silent as they walked through the streets of Karakura. Thankfully, they didn't meet with anyone they knew as they traveled along. She didn't need the bother and Ichigo wasn't so sure if he could be polite to even their friends at the moment. All he wanted to do was get her away from everyone and find out what the hell she went through. He was thankful she was unhurt but all he could see on her face at the moment was pain. She'd went through some kind of hell in her mind and he wasn't going to let her suffer alone.

Not like the last time.

As they reached her apartment door, he took the key from her trembling hand and let them both inside. She remained silent as she trudged into her bathroom. Ichigo followed closely behind, worried by her actions, but quickly turned around as she began peeling her clothes off. The sounds of rushing water and steam soon filled the room.

"Ichigo-kun."

"Y-yeah?"

Regardless of the situation, he felt himself flush when he heard her enter the tub. He strained to hear her soft voice.

"Would you mind making some tea? I'd really like some when I get out of the bath."

Though pain laced her tone, he was glad to hear strength in there as well. "Sure. I'll just be in the living room if you need me." He purposefully left the door cracked to be able to hear her should she call out for him.

Much later, after her hair had naturally dried from the bath and what little tea remained in her cup had gone cold, she sat nestled in Ichigo's arms. His warmth and power surrounded her, blocking out everything else in the world except the two of them. His lips brushed against her hairline as he breathed out her name.

Tears filled her eyes once more as the story poured out of her.

* * *

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The silence of the room was near unbearable. It was almost as if she hadn't woken up at all.

Ishida sat in a straight back chair against the wall, occasionally casting his eyes over to the pair of shinigami that huddled together on the edge of a cot. Rukia had not left Renji's side for more than a couple of minutes that Ishida could recall. The tattooed man must have given her some sort of insight into what he experienced during the coma that scared her into not leaving him alone.

That did nothing to ease his fears for his gentle friend.

He'd only seen her lose her composure to that degree once before...when Ichigo had 'died' at Ulquiorra's hands.

The raw fear that etched itself into her face set his nerves on edge. Though his love for Inoue was different than what Ichigo felt, he cared for her a great deal. The need to get revenge for the pain she suffered clawed at his mind until his fingers were jittery with the very thought of it.

"She'll be alright."

Ishida's head snapped up to peer at the petite shinigami's confident words.

"She'll be alright," she repeated. "Ichigo is with her."

It took a moment for him to pull his gaze away from her intense stare. He absently pushed his glasses back up his nose as he fixated on a random spot on the wall. "Inoue-san is a resilient person. Of course she will be alright."

Rukia smiled at his words. Though he ignored their vizard friend in his answer, the confidence lacing his arrogant tone bespoke of the trust he had in the man.

The door to the room slid open, revealing a smiling Unohana-taicho. "How are you feeling Abarai-fukutaicho?"

"I'm doing fine. Thank you again Unohana-taicho."

Ishida could see his hand tighten around Rukia's as he answered.

"Unohana-san, is there a chance there will be any lingering effects of this attack they were subjected to?" Ishida asked the healer.

"It is difficult to say for sure since this was something completely different we faced, but I don't believe there will be. When the shard was injected into their bodies, it completely dissolved leaving behind a sort of poison."

"A poison that didn't kill them but placed them in a persistent nightmare."

"That's correct Ishida-san. I believe that it's purpose was to simply torture the victims mind until they went insane from it all. Death would have come only after a long period of time from the body wearing down gradually. Or, should he have been so inclined, from the shinigami's hands. They would have been completely helpless to defend themselves from an attack."

Ishida pretended not to see the fine tremor that racked the red head's frame across the room.

"Please come back to see me if you have any problems Abarai-fukutaicho."

"Yes Unohana-taicho," he bowed respectfully as she turned to leave the room.

"I wonder what is taking nii-sama so long."

"I'm sure he had a lot to report to the captain commander. He'll be back once he's through," Renji said, trying to ease the worry in her tone.

"Kuchiki-taicho left the commander's office some time ago."

"What?" They all turned to stare in shock at Unohana as she hovered just inside the doorway.

"What do you mean?" Rukia asked.

"It's just as I said, he finished his report a while back. Though I did see him speaking with one of your clan elders after that."

Rukia stood quickly from the bed, pulling Renji up with her. Ishida rushed to follow the pair out of the door. "Thank you Unohana-taicho," Rukia bowed hastily and turned to dart down the fourth squad's corridors. Her nii-sama had told them specifically to wait for him in that room. Why wouldn't he return to them as he'd said he would?

This whole incident had been weighing heavily on his mind and she knew he was infuriated at the person who'd been attacking them. What scared her the most is that he would go after this person alone.

Her breath came faster as she rounded the streets of Seireitei, pushing herself to their home. Her companions trailed behind her, each of them keeping a watch out for her stubborn brother.

She wanted to ignore that aching in her chest or discount it for what it was.

They would be too late to stop him.

* * *

As quietly as she could, Orihime crept across her room and knelt in front of Sora's picture. She could just make out his features in the old picture by the dim light filtering in through the windows. The sun was just slipping past the horizon, the street lamps coming on to help cast away the shadows covering the city.

At some point while she was sobbing and retelling the horrific nightmare she'd undergone, she exhausted herself and fell asleep in Ichigo's arms. He must have been nearly as tired as she was, considering the fact that he was even now asleep on her futon. She took a moment to gaze at his relaxed, slumbering face – thanking him silently once more for just being in her life.

The dream she'd had was horrible. Knowing that the events were something that could have actually happened in her life just made that fact even more unbearable. But...it was just that, a dream.

The reality was that her brother had been a wonderful, kind, loving man. He took her away from the horrible life she would have led and raised her in a loving home. She understood the basic nature of her parents but she didn't dwell on that. She was able to face the truth of her background and come out smiling because of her brother...and because of Ichigo.

He'd protected her and given her strength in ways she didn't even think he would be able to understand. He saved her brother from the life of a hollow and given him peace once more. Sora was truly at rest now and it was thanks to him.

She clasped her hands and prayed for her brother once more, thanking him for all he did in her life, everything he gave up, just to be able to care for her. Perhaps she now had a better understanding of the sacrifices he'd made for her and their life together. While she was sure his true nature would have never allowed him to be the callous individual she'd met in her dream, he still spent the time he could have been going to college, making new friends, perhaps finding someone to love on working hard to make enough money to support them. Her thanks for that alone would never be enough.

"Orihime."

She turned her smile onto the sleepy voice of her beloved. Ichigo rubbed his tired eyes and searched for her in the darkness of the room.

"I'm over here Ichigo-kun."

When he'd adjusted to the dimness, he searched her face carefully. Finding a true smile on her face and no tracks of tears, he gave a relieved smile himself and moved to kneel beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm. I'm fine now. I'm sorry for crying like that earlier. It was just so real that it hurt more than I could have imagined."

His arm came to wrap around her shoulders. "From your story I can only imagine how that must have been for you. Are you sure you're alright now?"

"I really am. I know it was just a dream that horrible person made me experience. Onii-chan took me away from our parents and gave me everything they never could have. I won't stay sad over some dream. I just needed to get rid of the sadness and fear from the moment." She turned her fathomless eyes onto him once more. "Thank you so much for being here with me Ichigo-kun."

Ichigo pressed a kiss to her forehead and enfolded her in his powerful arms. Her sweet, honeyed scent filled his head and the violent emotions he'd been fighting since seeing her in the unknown shinigami's arms vanished. Delicate fingers splayed across his back and satin lips pressed against his neck.

"I love you Ichigo-kun," she whispered against his skin, sending pleasurable shivers running down his spine.

"Ori..."

"No matters what happens, I will always love you."

His arms tightened around her smaller frame. He buried his nose in her neck, breathing deeply of her scent and trying to calm himself down. Her soft spoken confession hit him with the force of a thousand suns and he felt himself wanting to cry at the sheer joy she brought him. She'd been hurt in front of him – on more than one occasion – and he'd been unable to stop it. He'd been unable to deal with his own emotions over her feelings and caused her such heartache barely a year ago...but here she sat, still clinging to his frame and offering her heart for him alone.

No matter if he truly deserved her or not, he would never let her go.

"Orihime."

His need – both physical and emotional – was easy to detect in his muffled voice. Orihime pulled back and was caught in the weight of his stare. He didn't need to speak; his heart was laid bare for her in his tawny eyes.

Their mouths sought each other in the darkness. The familiar warmth that surrounded them heightened their senses like nothing else could. Orihime lifted herself on her knees, winding her arms tightly around Ichigo's broad shoulders – struggling to bring herself even closer to his heat. Her unbound breasts rubbed against his chest – her nipples hardening under the thin shirt she wore. She felt the hand in her hair tightening its grip while he began stroking her back. It wasn't long before his fingers slipped past the cotton barrier of her shirt.

She moaned against his lips as her pleasure only increased every time his fingers moved against her. Orihime wasn't sure if she made the first move to lay back against the futon or if Ichigo did; all she knew was the dominating weight of his body set her nerves on fire. She panted against his lips, hungry for air but more desperate for the taste of him. Her lips skimmed down the column of his throat, her tongue darting out to sample his hot flesh. A thrill of satisfaction swept through her when he groaned aloud and pressed his body tighter into her own at her actions.

When her lips met the collar of his shirt she felt the first prickle of annoyance. She wasn't interested in finding his clothes in her way, she needed to feel more of his skin against her own. With impatient fingers, she tugged at the offensive material. He quickly caught on to her wish and pulled back enough to rip the shirt over his head. When he returned to her, he was met with her sigh of satisfaction as her hands encircled his now naked torso.

While his own hands weren't being still – feeling the smooth skin of her stomach, running them down the toned expanse of her legs – her gentle kisses to his body were driving him mad with desire. Her lips traveled across the breadth of his shoulders, her nails scraped the hard skin of his belly, her feet were rubbing against his legs.

He needed to be closer to her.

His fingers grasped onto the hem of her shirt and began pulling it up slowly. If she didn't want him to go that far then – regardless of the state of his body – he would stop. His eyes widened for a moment before they drooped and clouded once more in desire when she grabbed her shirt and helped him strip it from her body. The hesitance only showed in her eyes for a moment as he looked his fill at her. Ichigo's calloused hands gently rubbed the satin skin of her breast, weighing the enticing flesh in his palm before squeezing the tempting mound.

Orihime's mouth parted on a gasp that sparked him into action once more. His body acted almost of its own will, bending down so he could close his lips around the pert, pink nipple staring back at him. His teeth teased the hardened nub and her nails dug into his back in reaction.

Kami-sama, why did she taste so sweet?

His eyes closed in abandon as he nibbled, suckled, licked his way across the ample mounds before him. Orihime could only gasp his name and moan in appreciation to the new sensations working their way through her system. It was all too much and yet she craved more of the sinful feeling.

Instinct took over his body and he lifted her into his arms, pulling them both upright so that she was sitting in his lap. One hand lowered onto her hips and pushed their cores together while he continued to feast on her abundance. A low rumble tore from his throat as her heat surrounded him. Her head feel back in abandon and his teeth raked across the offered flesh. Her mewl of pleasure was a reward to his desperate ears. He held her tighter, kissed her harder, thrust his hips against her core just to hear the satisfying sounds once more.

Her fingers gripped his hair as heat began pooling between her thighs and a thrumming ache coursed through her. Every nerve in her body was on fire for him alone. He finally left her now over-sensitive breast and returned to her lips – feasting on her mouth as a needy growl escaped him. Ichigo laid her back onto the futon and grasped the hem of her pants. In one move, he removed the last barrier separating her body from him. She didn't fight the move or cover herself from his sight. Though this was her first time naked before a man, she felt something in her chest tighten at the unguarded lust shining in his molten chocolate eyes.

His rough hands glided along her body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Nothing of herself was spared his perusal. His lips mapped her stomach while his hands roamed her hips. The kisses he pressed to her thighs had the most embarrassing sounds coming from her mouth yet she was helpless to stop them. Even her calves and feet were not left out of his search. She felt the warmth of his body covering her once again and she latched onto his strong frame. He lavished her with his gentle yet demanding kisses, whispering praises against her lips. Though the intimate potions they found themselves in shouldn't warrant her blushing over such compliments, that's exactly what she did. She was unable to reply to him as he chose that moment to slide his fingers into her wet heat.

The pleasure was unlike anything she'd known existed. Her cries echoed off the apartment walls as he explored her. He didn't have to ask where to touch as her body clearly led him in his movements. Her back arched when he plunged into her hot cavern; her nails scored his flesh when he found the hidden nub among her folds. Every touch of his battle hardened hands took her closer to the brink of a unknown discovery. Her face twisted in pleasure as she cried out broken pleas of his name.

He took only a moment to shed the restrictive jeans he wore, removing his boxers at the same time. Free from its confinement, his throbbing member now pressed into her hot flesh as he kissed her with the passion filling his body. Orihime's thighs parted on instinct, allowing him to move closer to her aching core. No clothing now stood in their way as they writhed together in pleasure, rubbing against each other just to feel the joy of skin on skin on every part of their body.

Her breasts crushed against his chest, nipples scraping against the hard planes of his body. The hunger for that release was slowly taking over her whole being. She drew her legs up further, encasing him within the grip of her thighs as she pleaded with him for that unknown feeling.

"Ichi...go...please," she panted, her head lolling in a midst of passion. "Please...I need..._kami-sama_...please..."

His mind went blank at the sheer beauty of her desire clouded gaze. His finger dove into her once more, his mouth capturing her loud cries. The scent of her arousal filled his head. His hips rocked against her body, mimicking the movement his finger made in her slick heat. Just the knowledge that he would soon be embedded so deep inside of her made him dizzy with anticipation.

In an astonishing moment of clarity, he pulled back from her. "Just a second. Sorry, I've gotta..." he allowed the explanation to drop as he sat up on his knees. The disappointment was clear on her face but he searched for his discarded pants quickly. As his trembling hands located his wallet, he prayed silently as he unfolded the leather casing.

_Please, oyaji, for once do NOT be unpredictable._

When his fingers found the once abhorred condom tucked inside his wallet, he silently thanked his old man. His eyes found hers once more as he hastily ripped open the package. An understanding smile lit her face and she nodded as he placed it on himself. Though they had come this far, he wanted to make sure this was what she wanted.

The question he was posed to ask was left captured in his chest as she reached out for him impatiently, pulling him back into her arms once more as her legs slid smoothly around his hips. Orihime kissed him with all the passion and desire flowing through her. He was lost in the same abandon she was. He threaded their hands together, bracing himself above her body on his elbows, and leaned back to peer into her gray eyes as he plunged himself into her body for the first time.

The sensation was something she thought she was prepared for but had been vastly mistaken. The pain and pleasure melded into another feeling that she had no words to describe. The new found fullness took her breath away and her head arched back as she tried to deal with this new sensation. Her thighs clenched his hips tightly between her own and she gripped the fingers entwined with hers while breathing deeply of his spicy scent.

Ichigo saw the grimace of pain that crossed her face and did his best to remain still inside her. That in itself was a great feat as the moment he plunged into her wet heat the overwhelming need to immediately begin moving was almost unbearable. He felt as if he were surrounded by her. It was unlike anything he'd ever known. He could feel her gradually relaxing around him as she adjusted to the intrusion. Sweat rolled down his neck but he remained still. As much as it pained him not to move, he wanted her to feel the same pleasure he was.

It wasn't too much longer before her hips rolled slightly against his own. When the movement wasn't too much for her, her eyes locked onto his own once more – silently giving him permission to continue. He never looked away as he pulled his hips back and plunged forward ever so slowly. The gesture was so intense Orihime found herself spellbound by his gaze. When he snapped his his forward once more, he hit a spot deep inside her that pulled her back from the floor. Pulses of unbridled pleasure shot up her spine and her lusty cries echoed off the walls.

They were lost in the feel of one another.

Words weren't spoken, simply broken calls of each others names and their heavy breathing hovered in the darkened room. Lips met, tongues glided along skin as their bodies melded into one. Ichigo pushed himself up onto his hands and watched her seductive body as he rocked into her over and over. Her long auburn hair spread around her like a cloak of fire that glimmered in the moonlight. Her hips struggled to raise and meet his own, trying to pull him deeper into herself.

Orihime could see the hard, corded muscles of his neck and shoulders flex as he moved above her. His powerful stomach contracted as he pushed faster and faster still, driving her to that unknown point that hovered just out of her reach. The sweat of their skin mingled together as they slid against one another in their passionate embrace. Nails raked down his sinewy back, teeth latched onto his shoulder and she held on as she felt tremors begin shaking her body.

Without warning, the dam of pleasure burst within her. Lightening shot through her and she could only cry out his name as her body drew taught with the waves of ecstasy that coursed through her.

Ichigo was lost to his senses as she tightened around him. Again and again he plunged into her tight core in a frenzied pace. He was unable to hold himself back as he felt his own climax approaching. He kissed her deeply as he buried himself to the hilt and ground into her. She clenched around him once more. Ichigo came hard, growling his pleasure against her sweat slicked skin as he continued to rock into her – drawing his pleasure out for as long as he could.

They held each other for a long time, neither of them unable to move as the last vestiges of pleasure left their bodies. Ichigo was the first to roll away; moving only enough to discard the condom and lay back, drawing her into his chest. He brushed the damp hair back from her face. When he caught sight of the tears filling her eyes, his utterly relaxed mind filled with worry.

"Orihime, whats wrong?"

She shook her head against his chest, sniffling slightly while she held onto him tightly. "Nothing," she admitted in a small voice. "It was just so...wonderful. I'm just a little overwhelmed from it all I guess. I never imagined..."

He absently stroked her hair, his mind at ease once more. "Me either." He exhaled slowly, a feeling of completion and not just a little bit of male satisfaction filling his body. "I love you Orihime. I may not say it as much as I should but please don't ever forget that I love you so much."

She lifted her head from his chest and gazed at him with eyes that he felt were piercing into his very soul. "I will always love you Kurosaki Ichigo. No matter what you do, I will always be by your side."

He captured her face between his strong hands and kissed her slowly, thoroughly. It was a kiss that spoke of a lifetime of promises.

* * *

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

The sounds of the small town had long since died down as he walked further into the dense forest surrounding District 74 in Hokutan. While he did go out into Rukongai occasionally, only as his orders required him to do so, it had been some time since he'd ventured this far into the area surrounding Seireitei. Not since he'd searched for Rukia at Hisana's behest. He paid no mind to the dirt which stained the bottom of his well tailored shihakusho but pushed towards the area indicated on the paper in his pocket.

While he'd originally doubted the accuracy of his clan elder's memory, the proof of his words was clear through the detailed documentation kept on the incident. Nearly two centuries had passed since judgment had been carried out on Taniguchi Ryouta yet Byakuya could recall everything about the hearing – and the events leading up to it – quite clearly.

Once the sentencing was carried out, he considered the incident over. The former captain of the 6th squad was the one who met with what family Taniguchi had remaining to inform them of the decision that had been made and the actions that took place.

As the roof of the dilapidated house came into view, Byakuya brushed his hand against Senbonzakura. He knew, should he even find his attacker in this dwelling, talking would not solve this matter. There was too much of his clan's blood staining this man's hands for Byakuya to ever allow him to live.

From his actions over the past few weeks, the last thing Byakuya expected to see was the man he now knew to be Taniguchi Tokujiro to walk out of the house as he approached it. Taniguchi held his unsheathed sword by his side. His stance was not one of an attack but his grip on the handle was firm.

"I take it since you've come here that you now know why I've been targeting you."

Byakuya stared, unflinching into the man's cold eyes. "No."

Appalled confusion twisted Taniguchi's features. "What do you mean? If you're here then you know who I am right?"

"Yes. I'm aware who you are and your relation to Taniguchi Ryouta. That doesn't explain why you have been acting in cowardice and attacking my clan from the shadows."

"You killed my brother dammit!"

Byakuya remained stoic in the face of the angry accusations. "If you believe that then you are misinformed. He was sentenced to death by Central 46."

Light gleamed from his wicked blade as he began trembling in rage. "They only put him to death because of your lies!"

The captain stopped his progression at the edge of the clearing. "I did not lie. I was the one who witnessed and stopped his attack."

"My brother would have never done those vile things!"

"It was not my testimony alone which condemned him. The woman who's life was spared because of my arrival retold her story to the members of Central 46. She was raped by Taniguchi Ryouta and was about to be killed at his hands. She was also not the only victim. Evidence was found that led to the discovery of four other women who died at his hands."

"Liar!"

A slim, ebony eyebrow raised. "I do not care whether you believe me or not. These are simply the facts of that time."

"You bastard," he spat at the captain. "My brother was the first person from this district to become a shinigami in over a hundred years! Everyone looked up to him. Because of the lies you spread not only did I lose him but I lost my father too! He believed the nonsense your people fed him. He said...he said our family had been shamed by my brother's actions. People looked at him in disgust! He killed himself because of the lies you told!"

Byakuya simply stared at the man trembling in rage before him. The hate filled glare Taniguchi aimed at him was one he gladly accepted. His motions were slow and calculated as he pulled Senbonzakura from its sheath. "If you had any pride as a man, you would have faced me alone with your anger. To involve the innocent in your revenge only speaks of your cowardice."

Taniguchi took a slow breath and drew himself up to his full height. "I've been training for two centuries to kill you. I will have my revenge now."

"No." Byakuya took a single step forward, his eyes never wavering as the wind blew his ebony locks in front of him. "Today will be your death."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I think I may need to go on an anti-depressant to deal with the anime ending. I know we still have the manga ongoing but...BUT I WANNA KEEP WATCHING THE ANIME!**

***begin temper tantrum***

**I'm still holding out hopes that it will pick back up eventually, though I may be delusional, I prefer to live that way. **

**Hope you enjoy the lem...I mean chapter. ;)**

**Let me know what you think please! Send in those reviews you wonderful, amazing, super-awesome readers you! **

**Ja!**


	27. Chapter 27

The servants were doing the housework, some members of the clan were training in the practice area, the cooks were preparing dinner...everything at the Kuchiki manor seemed normal.

Except her brother was nowhere to be found.

Renji and Ishida ran behind Rukia as she frantically searched the house for any sign of Byakuya. Unfortunately, he was not at home; they couldn't even detect his reiatsu anywhere around. With not much else to go on, Rukia began a desperate search for any of the elders. The ones she was able to run into, denied speaking to their clan head that day. Though, they did scold her repeatedly for running around the manor and yelling out for her adopted brother.

Such actions were not befitting of a Kuchiki.

She bit her tongue when the words she wanted to say began welling up inside her. She would only shame her brother more if she spoke her mind. Instead, the good manners Byakuya, and the tutors he'd assigned to teach her, kicked in. Renji could only stare as she repeatedly took their scoldings and bowed properly – thanking them for their time. Her hope of finding the elder was running out when they rounded the back of the house. Sitting alone on the long, covered porch was a gray haired older man. The fine cut of his robes showed his high position within the family.

"Excuse me, ojisan?" Rukia began politely as she approached his sitting form.

"Yes, Rukia-san?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a question please?" He nodded his assent so she continued. "Could you tell me if you've spoken to nii-sama today?"

"Yes, I saw him over an hour ago now."

Rukia grabbed onto his arm as her eyes lit up with the first positive answer she'd received. "Please! Please, tell me what you talked about."

"Now Rukia-san, normally conversations with the head are kept private."

Renji grabbed her shoulder and bent down to eye level with the elder. "Please ojisan. We believe he's off fighting a dangerous opponent and we only want to help him."

The dark blue eyes held within the weathered face studied Renji closely. "Do you doubt the strength of our clan leader?"

"Of course not old man! He's my captain ya know!" Ishida cleared his throat loudly, hoping to calm down the tattooed man. Renji cut angry eyes to him, but understood what he had done. He took a deep breath before continuing. "No, we do not doubt Kuchiki-taicho's strength, but this man does not fight fairly. He has very underhanded tactics and we are only concerned for taicho's safety."

"Please, ojisan. I only want to help nii-sama."

He stroked his long beard while studying the three young people before him. His intelligent eyes missed nothing on their worried faces. A slow smile suddenly lit his weather beaten face. "That's good to know. If you really want to help the head, then I can tell you where he most likely went."

"Thank you. Thank you so much ojisan." Rukia bowed formally to her elder and listened to his detailed recount of the conversation he had with Byakuya.

As soon as he was finished, the three were once more running full out through the streets of Seireitei.

* * *

He wasn't sure what woke him up.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, it's golden hues starting to chase away the black canvas that covered the sky. No foreign reiatsu encroached upon his senses, no sounds of intruders anywhere in the apartment. Ichigo breathed deep and prepared to roll over and give into the welcome sleep once more.

A groan came from the soft body encased within his arms, protesting his movement. His eyes opened to peer at the beauty fast asleep on his chest. Should anyone have asked him a few months ago how he would feel waking up naked next to Inoue Orihime, he knew he would have stammered out a colorful reply and probably thrown a punch or two to cover up for his beet red face.

There was none of the embarrassment he thought there would be.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world, to be lying next to her as they were. Her breath blowing against his chest, her arms wrapped around him, the smile that still lingered on her face even in sleep...

He felt complete for the first time in a very long time.

He tightened his hold on the busty beauty, breathing deep of her sunny scent and catching the smell of their lovemaking still lingering in the air. Her warm flesh beckoned him and he gave in; kissing her bare shoulder as his hands began a slow descent down her voluptuous body. Was it because he'd already known the pleasure of bringing their bodies together that he felt this way upon waking up? His mind couldn't spare too much time for the thought as his instincts were taking over with each taste of her skin.

Orihime moaned and raised a limp hand to her eyes. "Ich..." she broke off as a yawn escaped her. "What time is it?"

"Early," he responded and continued his tasteful track across her neck and collar.

Her fingers threaded through his hair and she pushed herself close to his muscled frame. His pulse spiked as her body arched into him with feline grace.

"Hmmm...we should get up. Isn't Ishida-kun still in Soul Society?"

"Later," his lips anchored onto hers, tongue pushing into her mouth and capturing her remaining questions.

She readily responded, parting her lips for his invasion and winding her arms around his broad shoulders. Whatever hesitation or embarrassment she felt was left behind as the hunger for him returned with full force. She'd unleashed her passions last night; opened up a part of herself she had been afraid to admit to. Ichigo had unlocked that door and held her as the torrent of emotions poured out.

She didn't hide from it now. As his long fingers plucked at her sensitive nipples, she fully gave herself into the feelings only he could evoke. His lips closed around her breast and her spine shot off the floor.

"Damn. You are so beautiful."

The words growled against her over-heated skin made her burn even hotter. She turned her head and pressed open mouthed kisses to the hard bicep next to her head. Her thighs rubbed against the naked flesh of his hips as she twitched with the impatient feeling growing inside her.

Ichigo moved lower; running his hot tongue down the expanse of her belly. His fully hardened member twitched with need, but he satisfied himself for the moment by forcing the seductive sounds from her body. The satin skin beneath his fingertips quivered as he skimmed along the sloping curves. He moved lower still and her scent filled his head.

"Ich...Ichigo. So...hot," she panted under him.

A feral grin split his face. He bent to kiss the thigh under his calloused palm. "I want you to burn, Orihime."

He would have never guessed, before last night, that having her writhe under him in bliss could be so pleasurable. Watching her breasts heave as her shoulders rolled off the floor, her mouth hanging open as her cries of passion could not be held back, feeling her muscles tremble under his touch – he felt as powerful as when he held Zangetsu in his hands.

His lips skimmed down her long legs, nipping the tender skin as he went. His eyes settled on the juncture of her thighs; the auburn curls shielding her were already damp in readiness for him. Ichigo licked his suddenly dry mouth as he moved closer to her core. Her scent was so strong, calling to him in the most primal way. He stroked himself as he pressed a tender kiss to her curls.

Orihime lifted her head, eyes wide as she looked down at her love. "No Ichigo. You can't do that; it's dirty."

He intercepted the hand that shot out, bringing her fingers to his lips. "There's nothing dirty on you, Orihime." He brought one finger into his warm mouth and sucked hard on the appendage. Pride filled his chest as she gasped at the sensation and her stormy eyes darkened even further.

She kept watching him as his face lowered once more. He never tore his vision from hers as his tongue snaked out and drew up the length of her. She fell back, catching herself on her elbows as the pleasurable shock racked her body. Ichigo smirked and did it once more, pressing harder and rubbing the taut nub at the top. Orihime chocked on a cry and collapsed onto the floor. Her musky taste fed his base instinct that was screaming at him to devour his woman, possess her, make her unable to think of anything except him.

He gripped her hips in his hands and held her in place as his tongue delved into the deepest part of her. Loud cries echoed off the walls, fingers tightened in his hair, she begged, pleaded, and screamed his name.

He released her and crawled up her body quickly. Just as his mouth covered her own, he thrust into her hard, growling deep within his chest as her body clenched around him. He pulled back and rocked forward once more, hissing when her nails scored his back.

"More," she pleaded against his lips.

Whatever she wanted, he would give. He didn't hold back his desire as he increased his pace. The sounds of their lovemaking filled the room while they pushed towards that precipice together.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

It was light the next time they awoke.

Orihime groaned in reluctance and buried her head against his chest once more. Her head bounced lightly as he chuckled at her.

"Tired?"

"Very," she agreed and clutched his hard abdomen. "Tired, but really happy."

His own chocolate eyes remained closed while he ran his fingers through her auburn tresses. "That makes two of us then."

The sound of Orihime's phone ringing disturbed the solitude of her bedroom.

"Who the hell is calling so early this morning?" Ichigo demanded, his scowl beginning to form.

Orihime rolled away, clutching the sheet to her naked body, and reached for her cell. She checked the caller ID before flipping it open. "It's Urahara-san," she informed him before giving her cheerful hello.

"Forgive me for calling so early but I've received an urgent message from Ishida-san," Urahara began. "I believe you and Kurosaki-san should come over quickly." His sing-song voice nearly chuckled over the phone. _Had he __placed an emphasis on Ichigo's name?_

She shook the thought free. "Yes sir. We'll be there soon."

Ichigo eyed her as she closed the phone. "What did he want?"

"He said Ishida-kun sent him an urgent message and we should hurry there."

"Damn, I almost forgot about Ishida."

"Come on Ichigo-kun, we should get ready."

He heard the shower turn on as he searched for his previously discarded clothes. All thoughts of their night forgotten as he wondered what Ishida had discovered about the man who dared harm his friends.

* * *

The terrain of the wooded area surrounding the lone standing dilapidated house had changed drastically in the past hour. The battle between Byakuya and Tokujiro had decimated the landscape, reducing the thick mass of trees to nothing more than scattered firewood. They flew at each other again and again, their reiatsu clashing with one another and filling the area with the abundance of its heat. While he knew this man had not attended the training academy, the Kuchiki head acknowledged the skill he had acquired on his own. His shunpo was well developed - as he was keeping up with his own, his skills with the sword were more than adequate, and his reflexes in battle were on par with a seated officer. To have learned such skill without a teacher was commendable. In that aspect alone, he reminded him of Kurosaki Ichigo.

That's where the similarities ended.

As he dodged the poison sliver of Tokujiro's sword cast at him, he remembered the madness his fukutaicho had to endure. The blood of his clan stained the gleaming sword clashing against Senbonzakura. His pride had been attacked and wounded by this man before him; his honor demanded satisfaction for his actions. Tokujiro stood across from him now, blood staining his left shoulder - though the wound was paltry. The dark haired man had done well to avoid most every attack by the deadly petals.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," Tokujiro began, a scathing look on his face. Byakuya merely raised his eyebrow in question.

"You hide behind your shikai like the coward you and the rest of the nobles are. You sit in your comfortable houses without worrying about the fear of starvation and look down on those of us not privileged enough to be born into wealth!" Tokujiro's reiatsu continued to pulse as he shouted his angry words at the immovable figure of 6th squad's captain. "Is that why you had my brother killed? Did the fact that he rose above his beginnings and make something of himself injure your noble pride?"

His palpable rage filled the area as he stared down Byakuya. For a few moments, the captain didn't move, he simply stared back at Tokujiro with his unreadable, ebony eyes. Ever so slowly, his right hand raised to chest level. The movement was unexpected and caught his opponent off guard at first, causing the man to flinch and bring his sword out in front of him. Byakuya simply let go of his sword, allowing the cool steel to phase into the ground.

"I will silence your ignorant mouth for good. Bankai. Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

A tiny pulse of satisfaction coursed through Byakuya as Tokujiro's eyes widened with fear as his bankai rose from the ground and spread out around them, knocking aside what few trees remained standing. The deadly, petal like blades of his Senbonzakura swirled around them, splitting off into four circular rows of swords that encased the two opponents. There was no escaping the prison Byakuya had trapped them in.

"What is this?"

Byakuya lifted his hand and called forth one of the swords encircling them. His fingers gripped the familiar hilt and he stepped closer to his family's attacker. "My bankai, one form of it at least. I will use my own hands to end your existence."

An astonished look crossed the man's face before a malicious grin split his lips. Both hands came to grip his sword as he took his stance. "I look forward to seeing you try."

The sound of their steel blades striking could be heard for miles around.

* * *

While Ishida had stopped to send a message to the real world, Rukia had continued running. She heard Renji keeping time with her as they pushed their shunpo as fast as they could through Rukongai. She ignored the people whispering about them or turning to look as they ran through the busy streets; she had only one thing on her mind.

Ishida caught up with them shortly, assuring them he sent a message to Urahara-san. She was glad Ichigo would learn where they were headed, but she wasn't going to wait on him. Her brother could need her help now.

As the busy streets gave way to deserted roads and forest lined paths, only one thing ran through her mind.

_Please be okay, nii-sama. _

* * *

Byakuya leaned back, cursing to himself when his attempt at avoiding Tokujiro's sword was not entirely successful. His cheek burned and he felt blood dripping down his face as it was cleanly sliced open. He bent his knees and, pivoting on his right foot, he managed to sink Senbonzakura into his opponent's thigh briefly. Tokujiro leapt backwards - compensating well with the movement despite the fact that his other leg was now injured - absently wiping the trickling blood from his forehead and rushed Byakuya again.

Their swords clashed in a frenzy of attacks. He knew he'd already made the observation that Tokujiro was an accomplished swordsman, but he now admitted he had under estimated his skill. While defending and attacking him before with his shikai form, he had been unable to observe the intricate movements and speed with which he handled his sword. He got a full view of the range of his abilities now. They met strike for strike, neither man gaining much ground. For every wound Byakuya inflicted, Tokujiro landed his own on the captain.

A particularly quick thrust from the shinigami's sword had Byakuya leaping back to avoid being impaled. While he righted himself, he got only a quick flash of light warning him of the man's trick. He shunpoed away at the last second, barely avoiding being struck by a poisonous shard cast at him. His cold stare met Tokujiro's across the battle wasted land.

"I wonder...is it your practiced use with your swords unique abilities that keeps you from succumbing to my attacks?" His fingers ghosted across the gleaming blade as he spoke.

Byakuya wasted no time responding to the line. His reiatsu rose as his anger showed no signs of dimming. When his sword met Tokujiro's, the younger man's arms faltered under the heavy pressure. Because of his distorted ideas, the lives of his clan had been put in danger - some of them extinguished. His fukutaicho had been wounded while saving his adopted sister's, the human healer that had restored Rukia's mangled body had been subjected to his torture twice. Each thought that entered his mind increased the strength behind each swing of his sword. He could hear the harsh pants of Tokujiro's breath, but he didn't let up on his assault.

His bankai cast a dark shadow over the area they fought, so he wasn't certain of the length of time they'd been engaged in battle. The fake shinigami's stamina seemed to be waning though. His movements were slower than previously and his breathing had not eased. Byakuya's katana sliced through the man's left arm with ease, spraying the dusty ground in a shower of crimson. A piece of his shihakusho still clung to the end of Senbonzakura sparking a thought in the captain.

Where did he get the shihakusho?

He admitted to not entering the academy, so how did he come to be in possession of clothing only handed out to those who passed the classes? Perhaps a memento from his brother? The more likely scenario was it was stolen from a squad member's room.

That only angered the stoic captain further. For a civilian to put on and besmirch the privileged attire meant only for those willing and able to protect others was a stain on their honor as shinigami.

He would remedy that immediately.

Try as he might, Tokujiro was unable to defend himself adequately from Byakuya's next onslaught of attacks. The captain was relentless as he charged him silently. His sword swiped at his arms, across his back, down his left leg. The injuries weren't deep, but the pain was making it difficult for him to focus properly. As the wind started striking his naked flesh, he realized what lie behind the nature of these attacks. Little by little, scraps of the black material was being cut away from his body. Rage ran swift through his body and he met the next attack from the noble head on.

Byakuya thought he heard a call of his name from outside the confinement of his bankai, but whatever the sound - it was dulled by the angry scream of his opponent as their swords clashed.

"Bastard," Tokujiro spat when their faces were but inches apart. He bared his teeth and kicked Byakuya in the stomach - putting enough force behind the attack that the captain was thrown backwards. The two men stared each other down once again - anger filling both their faces.

A dim light weaved its way around Tokujiro's sword - twisting and turning down the gleaming blade until it was hidden from Byakuya's sight. When his opponent pointed the sword towards him once more, the light gone from the blade, the jagged form of his shikai was exposed. The wicked blade cast an uneven shadow over the ground stained with their blood. The dark eyed shinigami did not speak or smirk when he took his battle stance once more. His jaw was clenched tight as he prepared himself to strike swords with the captain.

They rushed each other once more; their swords clanging with the force of their fury. Byakuya had seen the damage this man's sword could do to flesh and tried his best to avoid each swipe meant for him. His graceful movements only kept him away from the jagged edge for so long.

Though he didn't allow his face to waver, the first slice of the distorted blade that ran across his arm set his nerves on fire. His arm did not carry the clean slice that his cheek carried from the earlier form of Tokujiro's sword. Now, blood poured freely from the uneven wound that marred the top of his left arm. As he suspected once before, his shikai was meant to inflict the most pain it could on it's victims. He pivoted, avoiding the next slash meant for his torso and thrust his palm out towards his opponent.

"Shakkaho."

Byakuya could hear the pained cries of Tokujiro as the red haze of the kido blast produced a smoke that covered him completely. He gave his opponent no time to collect himself. Reiatsu poured into Senbonzakura as he gripped his hilt tightly in both hands. He ignored the tinge of pain from his body and dashed into the haze.

* * *

"Nii-sama!"

"Rukia, you know he can't hear you."

The raven haired shinigami ignored Renji's words and called out towards the large, black swirling mass of reiatsu in front of them. "Nii-sama!" Of course she knew he couldn't hear her within his bankai, that didn't stop her from trying to reach him. If she could at least see the battle being fought within she would feel better. Not being able to watch her brother fight the man who'd been eluding them for months, unable to ascertain his safety, was driving her mad. Her hands remained clenched by her side and she kept her eyes focused on the hidden battle, doing her best not to allow her panic to be seen by the others.

Renji took a tiny step closer to the petite woman next to him. Even under these circumstances she tried so hard to maintain that noble dignity the clan had drilled into her. She wouldn't appreciate his comfort at the moment, so he only allowed himself to be next to her as she worried over his captain. He caught the swift glance Ishida sent him from her other side. He could see the uncertainty swirling in the Quincy's gaze as well. Though they knew Byakuya was still alive since his bankai was still in effect, it didn't mean that he wasn't under the spell of Tokujiro's poisonous sword.

They all whipped their heads around as they felt a large, quickly moving mass of reiatsu heading their way. Ishida hid his smile as he determined it was Ichigo headed towards them. Obviously his message to Urahara-san was received.

"Rukia, what's going on?" Ichigo asked as soon as he neared their side. Orihime slid from his back once he came to a stop. Her hand clutched his kosode as she tried to steady herself. Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths helped relieve her dizziness from traveling with Ichigo using his shunpo.

"Nii-sama is fighting Taniguchi in there," Rukia said, the obvious worry filling her violet eyes.

"Who the fuck is Taniguchi?"

Ishida withheld his aggravated sigh and pushed his glasses up his nose as he turned to the vizard. "The shinigami who has been attacking the Kuchiki family for the past few months."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at his friend's haughty attitude. "I figured that much out. How did you find out who he was?"

"We can discuss that later Ichigo," Renji interjected, flicking his eyes towards Rukia's tense frame as another wave of reiatsu rolled through the area. He watched Orihime push her way past Ichigo and Ishida to come up beside the smaller shinigami. She didn't say anything, but grabbed one of Rukia's clenched hands and encased it with her own. When the raven haired woman turned her eyes up to her friend, Orihime simply gave her an encouraging smile and turned to watch the swirling mass of Byakuya's bankai for any changes. A smile tipped up his lips when he saw her hand relax and grab onto the healer's.

Though the group couldn't see what was happening, they heard the call for a kido spell being cast followed by someone's cry of pain. As they watched on with fearful eyes, the dome of his reiatsu began to dissipate. Renji placed his hand on Rukia's shoulder for both support, and to hold her in place - he feared she would dash into the battle once able to.

Byakuya stood over the fallen form of Taniguchi Tokujiro. Though his hair was disheveled with some of his kenseikan broken and missing, wounds covering his body, and blood dripping from his sword that dangled by his side, his back was straight and head held high as he gazed dispassionately at the fallen man.

"Nii-sama?"

His dark eyes slid over to the group awaiting him. He shook the blood free from Senbonzakura and slid it back into it's sheath. With sure steps, he walked away from the dead man – his posture strong despite his wounds.

"Are you alright, Taicho?"

Byakuya merely eyed his subordinate before walking past him.

"Nii-sama?"

He didn't turn as he spoke to his sister. "Rukia, we're going home."

No words were spared for the man who'd hunted his family down from the shadows. Byakuya never once looked back at the fallen form of Taniguchi Tokujiro; his eyes never wavered off his path back to Seireitei.

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**A/N:**

**ojisan – old man**

**shakkaho – red fire cannon**

**I know, I ran late this time. I profusely apologize. What can I say? Work is crazy and I had some medical conferences to attend. Well, hope the extra citrus I splashed in there helps earn my forgiveness. :)**

**Folks, we're getting to the end here. Only one more chapter to go (well, maybe two with the epilogue). **

**I'd love to break that 600 review mark before completing this out. Can y'all help me out with that?**


	28. Chapter 28 : Final

"It shouldn't be too much longer Byakuya-san." Orihime had to swallow the nervous giggle she felt trying to escape when he turned disinterested, onyx eyes on her. Thanks to Rukia's pleading, he'd agreed to allow her to heal the injuries he'd received during his fight with Taniguchi. He sat quietly, though not very patiently, beneath her golden dome. The tense atmosphere in the manor was playing havoc with her nerves.

Ishida pushed his lean frame off the wall. "I think I'll go relay the message to Urahara-san that the shinigami has been dealt with."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the Quincy's easy retreat, but held his tongue. Rukia's constant shifting and fiddling as she sat watching her brother being treated was testing the limits of his patience, however. He'd been all fired up to punish the bastard who'd caused Orihime and his friends so much pain. Byakuya had taken care of the opponent so his anger had no outlet. He was glad the incidents were now over, but it was disappointing that he wasn't the one to deliver the final blow.

The petite shinigami inched herself closer to the kneeling form of the Kuchiki head and he snapped. "Oi, midget! He's fine so stop your fidgeting!"

Narrowed, violet eyes focused on his frowning face, however, Renji interrupted her before she could speak. "Leave her be Ichigo. She's just worried over Taicho."

"Yeah, and like I said, he's fine. She's getting on my nerves."

"So? Maybe you're getting on my nerves."

"No one asked you pineapple head."

At this, Renji stood and stared Ichigo down. "What did you say?"

"Pine-apple-head," Ichigo stressed each word as it left his mouth. The boys tensed up, drawing closer to one another, but a single call to each of them had them backing down.

"Ichigo-kun!"

"Renji!"

At the girls call, each man grumbled under his breath but allowed the matter to drop.

"Well that's just damn pathetic." There was no mistaking the deep voice that called from the doorway or the massive amount of reiatsu that just descended on the group.

"Bya-kun!" The cotton candy haired fukutaicho launched herself from Kenpachi's shoulders and placed her hands on the golden dome. Byakuya showed no other reaction to her smiling face and cheerful voice other than to raise one elegantly arched eyebrow.

"You two are controlled like puppies and the princess looks all beat up. You can't even handle one damn opponent?"

"Is there any particular reason why you've encroached upon my household?"

The captain's grin looked less than friendly as he took in the sight of the sixth captain being healed. "Heard you found the guy; just wanted to see if it's true, but it looks like you got your ass whipped."

Byakuya flexed his fingers as the cut to his arm finished healing. "It's not even feasible that I should loose to such an opponent, though I don't expect someone of your nature to understand such a concept. That would require more brain power than you are capable of."

A bark of laughter came from the large man leaning in the doorway. "Maybe you should stop learning such big words and focus on learning how to actually fight."

"Is that an invitation to battle Zaraki?" The Kuchiki clan leader actually sounded intrigued by the idea.

Kenpachi took a moment to scan his dark eyes down the man's frame. "Nah, I don't wanna waste my time on someone who already looks half dead." He turned in the door, taking one step away before calling over his shoulder. "Yachiru, we're leaving."

"Hai!" She called happily, dancing away from Byakuya and hopping onto the larger man's shoulders.

Perhaps it was due to his earlier battle, but Byakuya's fine control over his emotions slipped. His narrowed eyes followed the captain's back as he walked away. An angry growl rumbled low in his throat and he went to stand. A shock raced through his body, forcing him back to his knees and his hand stung from the contact with Orihime's barrier. The piercing stare he threw Orihime had her backing away on instinct and stammering her apologies. She immediately lowered her healing dome.

"Sorry, I'm sorry."

He stood up once more, no longer bound by her powers. Without another word, he swept out of the room, Rukia close on his heels.

"Nii-sama! Please wait nii-sama!"

Renji simply shook his head as he fled after the two.

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It was oddly quiet in his house, but he wasn't going to complain. Walking in without having to avoid his father's usual shenanigan's was always a welcome relief. He retrieved his body and joined Orihime on the couch in his living room.

"You okay?"

She was reclining on the couch, her eyes closed and head laid back comfortably on the plush cushions. A soft smile found its way to her face as she opened her eyes. "Yeah, I'm just thankful this is all over."

He clasped the hand she held in her lap, entwining their fingers and enjoying the peace that allowed him to do so. "So am I."

"It feels a little weird though." She smiled and explained herself as his confused gaze met hers. "Not having to watch our backs constantly anymore. I know there are still hollows around, but for the most part we should be able to just go to school normally once more. With everything that's been going on, it just seems...odd."

"I know what you mean, but we should probably enjoy it while it lasts. Nothing ever goes well for long with us," he added the last part with a sardonic smile. He was rewarded with a giggle from the beauty and she leaned into his comfortable weight.

The stress of the day quickly caught up with the pair and they soon fell asleep on the couch, their hands wrapped around each others and Orihime's head leaning on his broad shoulder.

Isshin made sure to turn off the flash of the camera so as not to wake the pair as he happily captured shot after shot of the couple.

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"Ya know," Ichigo began, his words clipped and irritation leaking into his tone. He slung Zangetsu over his shoulder as he observed the impromptu battlefield below him. "For just once, I'd appreciate it if the hollows wouldn't show up at the worst fucking times!"

Ishida fired another reishi arrow before snorting at the vizard's comment. "Why don't you ask the one creeping up behind you. Maybe he'd agree to come back later."

Ichigo pivoted and brought his sword down in a clean slice through the hollow's head. "Your sarcasm was oh so appreciated, bastard."

"We need to hurry," Sado stated simply before easily defeating the monster before him.

"Yeah, yeah...I know."

In only a few minutes more, the group had finished off the last of the hollows and were waiting while Ichigo preformed a konso on the two souls who been trying to escape their clutches.

A loud gasp caught their attention and Orihime started running in the direction of the school, her loud words reaching over her shoulder. "Come on you guys! If we don't hurry, we're going to miss graduation!"

"Damn useless shinigami representative," Ichigo muttered before taking off after her.

"Did you even tell anyone in Soul Society that this was an important day for us?"

Ichigo cut his eyes to the Quincy easily keeping up with him. "Shut up, so what if I forgot? Like I knew there'd be a damn group of hollows to show up today."

A weary sigh came from Ishida. "How about useless shinigami representative?"

"Why don't you do less talking and more running? How's it gonna look if the top student isn't there to make his speech?"

Ishida raised his eyebrow at his friend. "True enough." With that said, he used his hirenkyaku to leave them all behind.

"I swear I'm gonna beat his ass one day."

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While he thoroughly enjoyed hearing the melodious sounds of Orihime's giggling, his curiosity at exactly what is was she was laughing at needed to be appeased. She sat in front of her small living room table, a discarded envelope off to the side while she held the papers of its contents in her hand. She'd already read it in it's entirety once; Ichigo's eyes had invariably drifted back to her delicate frame as she'd find something amusing written. At the next sound of her laughter, he gave up on the text he was reading and placed the book to the side.

"What the hell are you reading Orihime?"

She turned to him, her eyes glistening from the constant laughter. She wiped a stray from the corner of her eye before trying to answer. "Oh, it's just Masaru-san's latest letter that came today."

"Masaru?"

"Yes," she giggled while recalling the contents of his letter. "He was writing about his absolute disaster of a first date with this girl he met. Oh goodness Ichigo-kun, you have to hear this. Poor Masaru-san." She began laughing all over again before lapsing into his tale. Ichigo was no longer paying attention.  
Now, he was well aware that he was the only one in Orihime's heart, just as she was the only one in his. Their two years together had only strengthened the bond shared between them. Yet, hearing that name come from her lips pulled forth a torrent of memories he'd tucked at the back of his mind.

The enthusiasm in her voice as she cheered for him at his soccer game, the laughter she always seemed to share with him, the concert where he had to watch that bastard put his hands on her...

The rational part of his mind understood there was no reason to feel the flames of jealousy burning in his gut, but...well, no one ever accused him of being rational.

Orihime's hands were clutching her stomach and she'd abandoned the letter as her peals of laughter continued. "He...the...the ketchup went all over her dress!" She took deep breaths, her smile painfully wide as she slumped against the table. "Well, it couldn't have been too awful. He said she'd already agreed to a second date." A few chuckles escaped her cherry lips as her eyes finally found his. "Ichigo-kun, what is it?"

His eyes bored into her own, their honeyed hue darkening as he held her gaze almost hypnotically. There was no warning when his hand reached out, grasping her slender wrist and pulling her into his arms. She squeaked as he effortlessly lifted her from the floor and sat her in his lap, her legs astride his own.

"Ichigo-kun?"

He said nothing, but pulled her willing body tighter against his own. He kissed the very breath out of her, dominating her lips until she clung to his broad shoulders like a life line. A whimper tore from her mouth as his battle hardened hands caressed a path of fire down her back. He flipped their positions quickly, pinning her smaller frame beneath his on the couch. As he went about shedding the layers of clothing between them, a smirk pulled up one corner of his lips when she begged for him to hurry.

Though he knew he had nothing to worry about with that asshole half-way across the globe...still, it didn't hurt to leave a strong memory with her every now and then.

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The first thing that struck him as odd when he entered their shared, off campus apartment, was the silence that enveloped the room. He'd just returned from his evening class in the lab and knew she should be at home. She was off that evening and they'd already talked about watching the new drama set to start on TV.

"Orihime?" he called out as he hung up his coat and locked the door behind him. He peeked in the kitchen as he went past; that's where he would normally find her, humming a random tune as she made dinner. Finding it empty, he walked through the connecting doorway into their living room. Her bright auburn hair greeted him over the back of the couch. With a sigh of relief, he came to stand before her, his brows drawn down in worry at the absent gaze her face held.

"Orihime?"

"Eh?" she blinked several times before turning her face up to greet him. "Oh, sorry Ichigo-kun. I didn't hear you come in."

His eyes caught sight of the half-empty glass of wine on the table beside her. That alone was suspicious; Orihime rarely drank.

He sat beside her, brushing her hair back from her shoulder and coaxing her to face him. "Orihime, what's wrong?"

"Oh, uh...nothing. I mean, not really anyway."

Her hesitant answer had his customary frown taking root on his face. "Orihime, you didn't hear me come in and you're drinking. Something's wrong."

"Oh, don't say it like that!" she scolded, her hand slapping his knee lightly. "I've only had this glass and it was brought over as a gift."

"Gift? From who?"

She cut her eyes away from him. "Your sister."

"Which one?"

She glanced back at him, her teeth nibbling on her bottom lip. Before he could ask why, her hand reached into his pocket and withdrew his combat pass. She stood quickly and tucked it underneath the cushion of the couch before sitting back down on it. A deep breath passed through her lips and she took a generous drink from the remainder of her wine. He watched her in an odd state of confusion. She looked as if she were fortifying herself for something, so he didn't stop her random actions. When she'd returned the glass to the table, she leaned back on the couch, throwing her legs across his own and staring at him with her stormy eyes.

"I love your sisters so much, but I swear they're gonna be the death of me one day!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at the pout across her face. Knowing it was nothing serious that upset her, he made himself comfortable as well. His hand stroked the silken flesh of her leg as he looked at her with amused eyes.

"I could've told you that a long time ago. What did they do now?"

"I mean...I understand she needs to talk about it and I'm always here to listen to her and help give advice if I can. I want her to come to me; I love being able to support them when at all possible but seriously, I just don't think she realizes the strain that places on me sometimes!"

"Orihime!" he interjected into her rant. "Who came over and what did they wanna talk about?"

Her arms crossed beneath her ample chest and a huff passed her lips. "I really shouldn't tell you."

"Orihime."

"It would be a violation of the trust she shares with me."

"Hime."

"And it's not like she said she was gonna do it. It was just a hypothetical conver..."

"Inoue Orihime!"

She blew out another breath at the stern tone of his voice. He wanted to laugh at the ever deepening pout to her lips, but he made himself hold the strict look on his face. If he lost it now, he'd never get her back on track.

"She wanted to know how old I was the first time we had sex."

The hand stroking her leg stilled as the cogs of his mind came to a screeching halt. Of the million things that crossed his mind as possible topics of their conversation, that was not one of them.

"Wha..." was all he managed to force through his still open jaw.

She scooted towards him a little, making sure more of her weight pressed onto him. "Like I said it was a hypothetical conversation. She was just...curious."

Her head tilted slightly as she studied the ever darkening red hue running down his neck. Should she be concerned about his blood pressure? She was quite sure she'd never seen him turn that color before.

"Who was it?"

The question was hissed between clenched teeth and she nearly missed it. "Ichigo-kun, calm down."

"It was Karin wasn't it?" He was so involved with his murderous thoughts that he didn't even notice her moving to sit completely on his lap. "I knew she was hanging around that loser that works at the convenience store too much!"

"Ichigo-kun, you're letting your temper get the better of you again." Her statement was ignored. His hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her closer to his face.

"Was it Yuzu? Please don't tell me she's thinking about t...but, it's Yuzu for crying out loud!" His head hung in defeat as a weary sigh passed his lips. "Orihime, I've got to know what asshole thinks he's gonna touch my little sisters," he pleaded with her.

She was glad his head was still down as he missed her eyes rolling at his words. "Yes, they're your younger sisters, but Ichigo-kun...the twins are 20 years old now. They aren't children anymore."

"And you think that changes anything?" his incredulous voice cried out as his head snapped up. "You're gonna tell me. Don't think I'm gonna let you hide this from me. I don't care how old they think they are. Just wait, if I have to..."

Orihime threw her arms around his shoulders and hid her smiling face against his neck. He was still lost in his verbal tirade about his sisters purity. He might not admit it, but he was a lot similar to his father than he thought.

She would let him vent his anger for a while longer before she tried to calm the storm she had unwittingly unleashed. It would take some convincing, but she was pretty positive she could get him to let this one go. After all, who were they to judge?

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He nearly bit off his tongue trying to keep silent as the giggling women finally left the room. Angry eyes met the Quincy's curious face. "Every single time you're in here they do that shit. Can't you make it stop?"

Slender fingers pushed his glasses back into place. "Once again, your powers of observation are severely lacking." The disdain practically rolled off his tongue as he spoke. "Those women were staring at you imbecile."

Ichigo sputtered for a moment. "Bastard, quit trying to pawn this off on me."

A tired giggle came from behind where the two men stood. "He's right Ichigo-kun. They were looking at you this time."

His cheeks flushed and he turned away from the auburn beauty. "Whatever," he mumbled. "Like this is really a time for any of that shit."

Ishida stared blankly at the vizard. "I realize you get older as I clearly recall getting forced into going to your birthday parties, yet you never seem to get any wiser."

"Stuff it Ishida. Like I would ever force you to come near me."

"I never implied it was you. She's the culprit." He indicated the healer with a nod of his head. "Your wife has an uncanny ability to manipulate people into doing what she wants them to."

"Eh?" Orihime's gray eyes locked onto the pair of men. "But all I did was say please."

It was silent for a moment before Ichigo let loose a chuckle. "Yup, that would be the look."

"Huh? What look?" she asked in confusion.

"The look one would expect to see on a small, fluffy animal of some sort." Ishida answered. "It's practically kryptonite on poor Sado-kun so I would ask that you use it sparingly. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"He's already been by, but he had to go to work. He said he'll be back later." Never one to miss an opportunity to rub his friend the wrong way, Ichigo smirked before adding, "He was one of the first ones here. That's how a real friend acts."

A twitch in his left eye was all the confirmation Ishida would give that he'd struck a nerve. "You know very well I'm on call. Since I've begun my surgical residency I have very little time to spare."

"All I'm hearing are excuses from your pompous mouth."

"Were those words too big for you? Perhaps I should dumb it down for your primitive mind."

"Why don't you..."

"Boys!" Her irritated voice pierced their ever growing argument. "Can you not argue directly over my baby?"

Ichigo glanced down at the tiny bundle in his arms. The red haired cherub was still fast asleep, wrapped tightly in his blankets. "Sorry," Ichigo mumbled to his son. "Don't worry, you'll do the same thing to the bastard in a few years."

Orihime sighed, but shook her head with a smile. "Ishida-kun, you haven't even held your godson yet."

The doctor's neck snapped over to her, eyes wide in shock. "Godson?"

"Yeah," Ichigo replied for her. "Tatsuki turned down the whole godmother thing the moment it left our lips. She said since he's her nephew, her role was already taken. You think I'm gonna argue with Tatsuki?" he added, his voice daring Ishida to think otherwise.

"That's why we decided to have two godfathers!" Orihime pipped up from her hospital bed. "Sado-kun already agreed and I just knew you would too Ishida-kun!"

Ishida stared down at the sleeping babe for a moment, refusing to acknowledge the faint tint appearing on his cheeks. "Let me see the child."

Ichigo passed his child over with exaggerated care, his eyes never leaving the baby even after he was securely in his friend's arms. A knock sounded and the door opened, Isshin peeking around it with glowing eyes.

"You're not breast feeding are you Orihime-chan?"

"Shut up and get in here old man!" Ichigo shouted. The rest of the Kurosaki clan entered, the twins arms loaded down with gifts while their father went to Orihime's bedside to once again praise her for her hard work.

"That old bastard, he never misses an opportunity to act like a jackass."

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't curse around my godson."

Ichigo smirked at Ishida's frowning face. "I take it that means you want the job?"

Ishida looked down to the tiny bundle in his arms. A soft smile tipped his lips up. "Well, someone has to make sure he doesn't grow up to be an idiot like his father."

Regardless of the words spoken, Ichigo laughed.

"Come on you guys," Yuzu called, her hands pulling out a camera from one of the many bags she'd deposited on the table. "I wanna get lots more pictures of my beautiful little nephew!"

The baby was returned to his mother and, despite initial protesting, Ishida took the camera from the twin and coaxed the entire family to gather around Orihime's bed. Ichigo sat next to his wife, his arm draped possessively around her shoulders while she held their newborn.

"Maybe it's in the genes," Isshin remarked as he smiled down to the pair.

"What's that dad?"

"You two make a beautiful baby just like Masaki and I did."

Light brown eyes peeked open as his little hands escaped the confines of the swaddling blanket. Orihime placed her finger in their path. Her radiant smile could not be contained as the tiny fingers wrapped around hers. Ichigo laid his hand atop his son's crown of red hair; the joy he felt at that touch nearly overwhelming him.

"Everyone ready?" Ishida called.

As one, the group surrounded the newest Kurosaki, allowing the camera to capture the pure happiness flowing through the family on film forever.

_ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ fin ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ _

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**A/N:**

**There are so many excuses I could use for the nearly 2 MONTH delay in putting this out, but how about I just skip all those...**

**It hurt me a little to mark this story complete. I've been working on it for so long and have thoroughly enjoyed creating it. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I have to thank you all so very, very much for the continued support I have received during this long project. The wonderful reviews I got have kept me going and been a source of inspiration to me. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. **

**Gonegalt was wonderful and posted this story on their website! You can find it at www-dot-autarkis-dot-us.**

**Thank you so much gonegalt!**

**Though this is the end of _Pain of Remembrance, _I do already have the plans for my next Ichi/Hime story outlined. However, it will be a little while before I began truly working on it. I am going to focus more on my SkipBeat and Naruto fics for the time being. I will be writing more Bleach, as it is a major love (obsession) of mine, but it will be in the near future. **

**(nope the shameless plug is not over yet)**

**I posted a oneshot for Ichi/Hime in celebration of Tanabata for FLOLs contest. It's titled _Steadfast_ and you can find it by just clicking up there on my profile. I'd really like if you'd give it a read and let me know what you think. It IS my first oneshot for Bleach after all. **

**Thank you all once again for your support and I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed this story! I would really love to hear your thoughts on this last chapter and the story in general so I will once again beg for your reviews! Thank you so much for helping this to be my most reviewed fic yet! (Way to give me that nudge Van Pat :)**

**Love you all! **


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